| Given the importance of deforestation to climate | | | | climate change. Forest conservation can be done |
| change it would be perfectly reasonable to ask why | | | | much easier by a fund (e.g. Cool Earth) than by |
| we don't just protect the world's forests. But | | | | market cowboys racing around the world looking for |
| reducing deforestation is no simple effort. Forests are | | | | cheap offsets. |
| being destroyed as a consequence of global | | | | What we need to examine are the factors driving |
| economic forces (e.g. demand for timber, beef, | | | | deforestation, including the international trade in beef, |
| soybeans, palm oil, etc). Slowing or eliminating | | | | soy and paper. We should first address those drivers |
| deforestation means addressing these underlying | | | | rather than throwing money at companies cutting |
| drivers by making forests valuable as living entities, | | | | down trees, when we continue to give them |
| rather than solely for what can be produced when | | | | incentives to do so. Financial incentives could also play |
| they're cut. | | | | a role, insofar as they support the recognition of land |
| One solution, known as Reduced Emissions from | | | | rights for indigenous communities or education |
| Deforestation and Degradation (REDD), is being | | | | projects. Such measures, which would cost far less |
| pushed as a key element for a new global | | | | than the proposed financing for REDD, could be of |
| agreement to fight climate change after the Kyoto | | | | genuine worth in avoiding deforestation. But they are |
| Protocol expires in 2012. The logic underpinning REDD | | | | unlikely to show up on the balance books of a forest |
| is fairly simple. At present, the short-term economic | | | | carbon-trading scheme whose main purpose seems |
| gains from deforestation outweigh the long-term | | | | to be providing Western countries with yet another |
| good of forest conservation. By investing up to | | | | escape from their responsibility to reduce emissions |
| £7.5 billion globally per year into saving forests, | | | | at home. |
| the economic balance is believed to change in favour | | | | We must pressure our governments to drastically cut |
| of the latter. This money would be paid in the form | | | | carbon emissions at home rather than buy offsets |
| of carbon credits, worked out in relation to national | | | | from abroad. We must encourage them to introduce |
| deforestation rates - the more a country saves, the | | | | stricter environmental policies that reduce the |
| more it earns. | | | | consumption of imported forest products (e.g. waste |
| This might seem like a good idea but such a scheme | | | | management strategies that reduce the consumption |
| is fraught with problems. REDD simplifies the function | | | | of timber and paper, setting higher targets and |
| of forest ecosystems to that of a carbon store. This | | | | timetables for paper and cardboard recycling from |
| undervalues them as water catchment areas, | | | | the domestic sector). The UK is currently one of the |
| habitats for biodiversity and as the basis of | | | | world's largest consumers of timber and paper |
| indigenous and local peoples' livelihoods. Indigenous | | | | products. |
| groups and forest communities are concerned they | | | | We must hold businesses accountable. Corporations |
| will not see benefits from REDD. Worse, some | | | | need to know that the public will hold them |
| believe the mechanism could trigger a new wave of | | | | accountable for business practices that are socially or |
| land grabs and evictions by parties seeking to | | | | environmentally destructive. If you feel that a |
| capitalize on carbon payments. Indigenous groups and | | | | company's business practices are environmentally |
| forest communities have long struggled against | | | | irresponsible, send the company a letter expressing |
| development interests seeking to exploit their | | | | your concern, or organize a boycott of the company. |
| traditional lands and resources. More than a billion | | | | We need better education across all levels of society. |
| people worldwide depend of forests for their | | | | At the moment, many people are alienated from the |
| livelihoods, so schemes such as REDD pose a huge | | | | knowledge of the consequences of their demands, |
| threat to them if not managed properly. Another | | | | and how their carbon heavy lifestyles contribute to |
| danger is that schemes to 'avoid deforestation' | | | | deforestation and climate change (e.g. the excessive |
| become a further means for rich countries to avoid | | | | consumption of beef, paper and timber). |
| responsibility for over-consumption and evade | | | | We need to look at the role of ecotourism and |
| emissions cuts (e.g. they continue spewing emissions | | | | volunteerism. Although this results in more people |
| offset by 'avoided deforestation' carbon credits). | | | | trampling in beautiful places, it is a very forceful |
| There are also fears that a market-based mechanism | | | | mechanism for conservation and also brings revenue |
| for reducing greenhouse gas emissions would crash | | | | to local people without selling their land for timber, |
| carbon prices by swamping the market with cheap | | | | cattle farming and soy production. |
| credits (e.g. making it cheaper for polluters to avoid | | | | There are many things we can all do to help protect |
| genuine emissions cuts). This would reduce | | | | the world's forests and reduce carbon emissions and |
| investment in low-carbon and renewable technologies, | | | | we cannot afford to be distracted by measures that |
| and cause developing countries to lose out on a | | | | provide no real solutions. The carbon market is not a |
| massive investment in low carbon technologies. In | | | | 'magic bullet' to prevent further climate change, the |
| essence, low carbon prices could derail global efforts | | | | growth in emissions or deforestation. The answer lies |
| to tackle global warming. | | | | in changing our lifestyles and political systems and |
| It seems quite clear that an unrestricted carbon | | | | convincing others (individuals, businesses and |
| market won't save the forests or stop runaway | | | | politicians) to do the same. |