The two most essential components for life on earth – water and trees – are at major risk as new data confirms deforestation is driving widespread water loss, impacting at least 122 million people in West Africa, international charity unveils ahead of COP30.
In a first-of-its-kind report released today (5 November 2025) by WaterAid and in partnership with Tree Aid, Ghanaian academics reveal that deforestation is disrupting West Africa’s water cycle, jeopardising millions of people’s health, wellbeing and livelihoods.
For every 1,000 hectares of forest cleared in Niger and Nigeria, almost 10 hectares of surface water disappear, the report finds, reducing access to clean drinking water, which puts communities at risk from disease, food insecurity and displacement. This is because forests regulate rainfall, capture moisture, and recharge groundwater. When they are destroyed, the long-term quality and quantity of available freshwater dramatically declines, leading to a dangerous increase in drought and desertification.
Today’s new research brings to light this clear and alarming link between deforestation and loss of water – in both quality and quantity – in Ghana, Niger and Nigeria. It finds that 45% of the region’s population – equivalent to over half of the entire population of Brazil – now live in high-risk water zones, with 99.5% of water in Niger deemed at risk of being unsafe.
Forests the size of cities are vanishing each year, the report unveils, with resulting high water risk driving illness, crop failure, and dehydration. Published in partnership with Tree Aid, the report draws on 12 years of satellite imagery to reveal the scale of the crisis.
New data reveals that:
99.5% of the available freshwater in Niger is at risk of being unsafe and of poor quality linked to deforestation.
85.6 million people in Nigeria live in areas at high risk of water loss linked to deforestation, equivalent to more than the entire population of the UK.
24,800 ha of forest are being lost on average each year in Ghana – that’s equivalent to a city the size of Edinburgh being lost each year.
For every 1,000 hectares of forest cleared in Niger and Nigeria, almost 10 hectares of surface water disappear
45% of the population of these three countries – over 122 million people – are living in high-risk water zones due to scarcity or poor water quality. This puts communities at imminent risk of drought and famine, leaving families without the clean drinking water they need to survive,
Additionally, the report reveals how climate change is disrupting water sources in Ghana through heavy rainfall masking the true impact of deforestation. While short-term water availability may rise, researchers confirm a stark decline in Ghana’s water quality and warn of long-term drop in supply, as forests vanish, the natural protection of water sources disappears when forests are cut down, leaving communities with polluted drinking water.
The implications of this are profound: 75% of the world’s accessible freshwater comes from forested landscapes1, and a third of the world’s largest cities rely on protected forests for their water.2 Investing in water systems which strengthen access to safe drinking water and prioritise the most vulnerable communities is critical to protecting the health, livelihoods and wellbeing of people living in forested regions.
Authoring the report’s foreword is Adjoa Andoh MBE, actor (Bridgerton, Invictus, Adulthood), advocate and patron of Tree Aid, who travelled to Ghana with Tree Aid last year while visiting family. Adjoa highlights the need to “confront and tackle water insecurity and deforestation as interconnected challenges”, and urges that “We are all interconnected and findings ways to work together is our only future.”
The research comes just days before COP30 in Brazil, with WaterAid warning global leaders that attempting to tackle either deforestation or water access in silo is doomed to failure. At COP30, WaterAid are calling on governments to integrate forest and water action into future climate finance pledges and climate plans; as well as delivering a critical agreement on adaptation; prioritising water in international commitments; and centring the leadership of local communities in climate action.
Abdul-Nashiru Mohammed, Regional Director for WaterAid West Africa said;
“Trees and water are the essence of life – in West Africa’s forest communities and around the world. Trees draw water into the earth, enrich soil for farmers, and shield land from floods. But as forests fall, water is vanishing at a ruthless rate. This catastrophic impact of deforestation is slipping under the radar of world leaders – a ticking time bomb for millions of people’s access to clean water.
“That’s why at COP30, we’re demanding global governments to step up, listen to the voices of communities most at risk, and take urgent action to tackle the interconnected nature, water and climate crisis. Attempting to tackle either deforestation or water access in silo is doomed to failure.”
Georges Bazongo, Tree Aid Director of Programmes said;
“Communities in sub-Saharan Africa face multiple, compounding issues, increasingly worsened by the climate crisis. Trapped in a cycle of poverty, deforestation, and water insecurity, they urgently need reforestation and land restoration efforts grounded in inclusive forest governance that balance environmental protection with local needs. Integrating forest and water management is essential to restore ecosystems, safeguard livelihoods, and build climate resilience.”
Nearly 1 in 10 people around the world still lack clean water close to home, and the climate crisis is only making this worse, with those who have contributed least toward climate change often facing its worst impacts. With recent WaterAid polling revealing that 93% of Ghanaians fear for their future and their children’s future as a result of climate change, urgent action is required to protect both forests and clean water access.
The scientists behind the new study, Justine Kojo and Thomas Burns Botchwey, said:
“Deforestation and climate change are feeding into each other to create a dangerous new reality; more floods, more pollution, and less reliable water for millions of people. What looks like more water on the surface is often a sign of flooding, runoff, and pollution beneath. Our research shows that protecting forests is not only about conserving nature; it’s about safeguarding water, food, and health. Without urgent action to restore and protect forested watersheds, the future of clean water in West Africa is at risk.”
WaterAid
WaterAid is an international non-profit with one goal: to change the world through water. Along with decent toilets and good hygiene, a reliable supply of clean water is essential for health, dignity and a life full of opportunity. We work alongside communities in 22 countries, setting up entire systems that deliver clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene for millions of people.
