Fund to prevent deforestation may soon be a reality

Indian Express , Thursday, December 13, 2007
Correspondent : Staff Reporter
New Delhi, December 12: Will India get money to save its forests? The indications are that the new protocol that will succeed Kyoto will mobilise fund to help prevent deforestation in developing countries. Deforestation constitutes about 20% of the total global emissions and hence, any treaty that attempts to tackle climate change has to address it. The Reducing Emissions from Deforestation in Developing Countries (REDD) mechanism proposes mobilisation of resources particularly by the developed countries to provide incentives for conservation efforts in the developing countries.

Kapil Sibal, Union Minister for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, and Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State for Environment, met Rachmat Witoelar, Indonesian Environment Minister to share concerns of parties on REDD matters being deliberated upon in CoP at Bali.

They emphasised the importance of forest conservation especially in the Asia- Pacific region and Africa, besides other parts of the world. The leaders agreed that sustainable management of forests, leading to conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks, needed to be an important part of the proposed REDD mechanism.

The Indian delegation led by Kapil Sibal successfully negotiated the conclusion on REDD agenda item taking due note of the Indian interest in conservation and development of forests which is vital for sustaining the livelihoods of more than 200 million forest dependent people. Besides India, countries like China, Pakistan, Brazil, Bhutan, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Costa Rica and Thailand supported the proposal for moving ahead with the concept of conservation, and increase in forest cover under the REDD.

Today, several world leaders were urged by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to work out a new climate treaty by 2009 and said detailed greenhouse gas cuts can be worked out after U N talks in Bali.

Entering a dispute pitting the United States against the European Union and some developing nations, Ban said the overriding goal of the December 3-14 meeting was to agree to launch negotiations on a pact to succeed the current Kyoto Protocol.

 
SOURCE : Indian Express, Thursday, 13 December 2007
 


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