To the WWF : “ It’s possible to reduce deforestation to near zero by 2020, but delaying action to save forests by even a decade means double the area of forests lost by 2030 “
” The report finds that reducing deforestation to near zero would also bring global emissions from forest destruction close to zero, but delaying this reduction until 2030 would mean sacrificing 69 million hectares of forest worldwide. “
Such a delay would bring an additional 24 gigatons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In comparison, 33 gigatons of this gas were released in 2010 alone worldwide…
Hence the importance of bringing an end to deforestation as soon as possible.
The press release also states that afforestation – planting new forests – is not the panacea one would think it should be. Indeed :
The report further finds that new plantations are not the solution, as they will not begin to sequester enough carbon to offset emissions from deforestation until 2040 at the earliest.
According to WWF, United Nations climate talks, set to get underway this week in South Africa, provide a key opportunity for the world’s governments to unite on efforts to halt global forest loss. At these talks, details on a scheme in which developed countries pay developing countries not to cut down their forests will be agreed.
This effort, referred to as REDD+, is a unique opportunity to address both climate change and forest loss, and while considerable progress has been made on working out the details, governments must now commit to a global target for tackling deforestation at the scale and pace needed, said WWF.
The Living Forests Report finds that achieving zero net forest loss by 2020 is highly unlikely without REDD+.
I have already written a few posts on REDD. Hope you will like them.