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©Center For International Forestry Research
term game and remained a “strongly performing investment
asset class”.

Trees across Australia's forests are perishing at a faster
speed
According to theindiansun.com.au, trees across Australia’s

forests are dying at increasing rates, with new research
pointing to a long-term shift in forest health linked closely to
a warming and drying climate.
The study, led by Western Sydney University and published
in Nature Plants, analysed 83 years of data from more than Indonesia strengthens regulations for imported forest
2,700 forest plots nationwide. products
It brings together records from tropical rainforests, savannas Indonesia has enforced a new legislation mandating that every
and temperate eucalypt forests to track background tree forest product entering the country must originate from legal
mortality, meaning tree deaths not caused by fire, clearing sources, according to a report by sarawaktribune.com.

or logging. The Forestry Ministry released the new law on the “Assurance
The findings show that background mortality has risen of Legality for Imported Forestry Products” on 6 November,
steadily since the 1940s and that this pattern appears across which took effect on 26 December 2025.
all major forest types. The new regulation requires all importers to fulfil two key
Over the same period, tree growth has either stalled or legality assurance obligations: the feasibility test and import
slowed, suggesting the rise in deaths is not part of a natural declaration, both conducted through the SILK Portal (Legality
cycle of renewal but reflects an imbalance between how fast and Sustainability Information System), according to the Global

trees grow and how quickly they are lost. Timber Index (GTI)-Indonesia November 2025 Report.
Researchers found that the trend closely follows Australia’s During the Belem Leaders Summit in Brazil on 6 November
changing climate. Rising temperatures were identified as the in 2025, Indonesia’s special presidential envoy for energy and
dominant factor, with mortality increasing fastest in hotter, climate change, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, said his country
drier regions. would actively participate in the Tropical Forest Forever Facility
Dense forests were also more vulnerable, as competition (TFFF) and had committed to matching Brazil’s contribution
for water and light adds to environmental stress. of US$1 billion.
Professor Belinda Medlyn from the University’s Hawkesbury In the July-September 2025 quarter (3Q2025), Indonesia’s
Institute for the Environment said the results point to mounting wood processing exports experienced a notable contraction.

pressure on forest ecosystems. The decline was driven by several converging factors:
“Australians rely on their forests for a wide range of weaker global demand amid slowing economic growth,
ecosystem services, from cultural values and recreation to reduced housing and construction activities in the US and
timber for houses. Increasing tree mortality in our unique parts of East Asia, elevated logistics and freight costs, and
forests will affect all of these. A particular worry is that the persistent uncertainty caused by shifting global trade policies.
forests’ ability to store carbon will decline. This has significant Domestically, rising production costs and stronger competition
implications for Australia’s net carbon balance,” she said. from alternative suppliers further pressured export performance,