Benn: Climate talks must address deforestation
Wednesday, 12 December 2007 12:00 AM
Any future global deal on climate change must contain a commitment to tackling deforestation, the environment secretary said yesterday.
Speaking in Bali as world leaders attempt to agree the post-2012 Kyoto arrangements, Hilary Benn stressed the importance of addressing the issue.
The World Bank yesterday launched a new Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF), which will seek to reduce deforestation.
Mr Benn pledged $30 million (£15 million) towards the fund, with the UK contributing ten per cent of the project's target costs.
The FCPF will fund pilot programmes to see how emissions from deforestation can be reduced, as well as schemes to offer incentives to avoid cutting down trees.
With deforestation contributing up to 20 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions, Mr Benn said any future climate framework must include measures on deforestation.
He said: "We want to see comprehensive negotiations on a future deal to be launched at the end of this week - and dealing with emissions from deforestation must be a central part of those negotiations.
"We need to be able to test these ideas through pilots, to provide the necessary experience so that developing countries have the opportunity to choose to participate in much larger schemes to reduce emissions from deforestation."
The Department for International Development will share the £15 million cost with the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs.
International development secretary Douglas Alexander said: "Cutting deforestation emissions is a must if we are to avoid dangerous climate change, and it also brings real benefits for communities who depend on forests for their livelihoods, and for increasingly vulnerable biodiversity.
"Forest resources are among the primary assets of the poor and creating a system that allows them to conserve the forests and diversity of livelihoods will help tackle poverty by improving their income and wellbeing."
It is estimated that deforestation in developing countries accounts for up to 70 to 80 per cent of their emissions.
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