Cash money for saving trees?

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Rating: 5/5 with 4 votes

Published Friday, December 14, 2007 at 11:03
by Editor (815 views and 2 comments)

Today is the last day of the UN climate conference in Bali. The big question that has driven the talks in Bali is whether world leaders can agree on a ‘new Kyoto’ – find common grounds for a new international agreement on how to deal with climate change.

One of the major topics was how to deal with the reduction of forests. Forests are a major ally in combating global warming, since trees and other green plants take CO2 out of the air. When forests are cut down and trees are burnt it has a doubly damaging effect – not only are there less trees to remove CO2, but the carbon contained in the trees is released into the atmosphere.

In Bali environmental ministers agreed that financial rewards for not cutting down trees should be a part of a new global climate deal. Money should be ‘bait’ for developing countries to preserve their rainforests.

At first hand this may sound like a good solution. However, NGOs have aired concern that financial compensation is just a convenient excuse for rich countries not to take actions against emissions within their own boundaries. Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth have, for example, suggested that instead of rich countries buying their way out of emissions’ reductions they should commit to reductions at home.

Do you think financial rewards are a good way of protecting the world’s forests? Or should European socialists and social democrats come up with an alternative solution?

Tags: climate change, CO2, UN

Comments

1. Pay me for not cutting down trees! by taipale Join PES activists on Friday, December 14, 2007 at 16:14

Yes, but! This is a tough line to draw. Is it fair that there is no dis-incentive if someone just continues distroying forests? And gets paid for simply sitting put, for doing nothing? I'd rather see sanctions for those countries who implement unsustainable forestry methods. Financial support should go to those, who proactively change their forestry strategies and look for sustainable solutions - which, of course, include decent work and livelihoods for people, and fair trade of forestry products. As an example, even (!) WWF is convinced that there a sustainable methods to produce palm oil as raw material for bio-fuel.

2. interesting thoughts by Adam B Join PES activists on Wednesday, December 19, 2007 at 18:43

However it requires a huge rearrangement of the WTO rules which have in many years been laid dead. Global problems needs global solutions!

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