Posted
on 11 March 2010
Paris, France: Forest and donor countries
have kicked off an important joint process
which could speed up action to reduce the
15 per cent of global carbon emissions linked
to deforestation and forest degradation.
Despite no formal agreement
to achieve Reduced Emissions from forest
Degradation and Deforestation (REDD) being
reached at the United Nations conference
on climate change last December, key nations
met yesterday in Paris in a process being
called the REDD+ Partnership Process.
The initiative, which
brings together major forest countries and
donor nations, is hosted by Norway and France.
Broad agreement has already been reached
on principles and safeguards of REDD+ and
according to WWF, the initiative represents
a critical opportunity to mobilise early
action and financing for national REDD+
programmes.
“Slowing deforestation
would help the world significantly cut global
emissions,” said WWF Forest Carbon Initiative
Leader Chris Elliott.
“That’s an opportunity
we simply cannot ignore as any delay in
reducing emissions only makes it more difficult
to limit global warming to well below 2
degrees C.”
“The REDD+ Partnership
process must build real momentum for countries
to move ahead with REDD+,” said Elliott,
“It is important this remains an open and
inclusive process.”
Countries have signalled
their commitment to REDD+, with many developing
countries, including Brazil and Indonesia,
announcing targets for reducing emissions
from deforestation and forest degradation.
In Copenhagen, $3.5 billion was pledged
for REDD+ by Australia, France, Japan, Norway,
the UK and the US.
“With funding already
flowing for REDD+, it is vital that benefits
for people and biodiversity are a fundamental
part of this effort to integrate forests
into the climate change solution,” said
Elliott. “REDD+ is not only about the carbon
stored in forests and so we must ensure
there are positive social and environmental
impacts as REDD+ becomes a reality.”
