At COP29 in Azerbaijan, the stakes surrounding climate change have never been higher. Unprecedented forest fires are ravaging landscapes globally and drought-stricken parts of the Amazon face severe consequences. Sea-level rise, extreme heat and shifting weather patterns, all of which are direct consequences of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, compound the urgency. The United Nations Environment Programme’s latest Emissions Gap Report, highlights forests as one of the top three sectors that can deliver a third of the emissions reductions needed to meet the 2030 climate goals. Forests also play a critical role in providing sustainable livelihoods, regulating water cycles, reducing extreme weather and protecting human health. Destroying them risks crossing irreversible tipping points, from which we may not recover. Despite countless pledges … deforestation and degradation continue unabated. The time for talk has passed. Action is overdue and COP29 provides us with a timely opportunity to start the fightback with real purpose.