| December 12, 2009 |  |
Copenhagen Negotiators Move Forward on Tropical Forest Protection
Statement by Doug Boucher, director of the Union of Concerned Scientists’ Tropical Forests and Climate Initiative
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (December 12, 2009) — Climate treaty negotiators are on the brink of approving a draft plan for protecting tropical forests. Cutting these forests accounts for about 15 percent of the world's global warming emissions. Under the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) proposal, developed countries would provide funding to developing countries to preserve their forests, which otherwise could be cleared for such economic activities such as ranching and logging.
Today negotiators also approved preliminary rules for how developing countries would monitor, report and verify that they are reducing their deforestation emissions.
Below is a statement from Doug Boucher, director of the Union of Concerned Scientists' (UCS) Tropical Forests and Climate Initiative.
"Assuming we get a treaty or a treaty framework in Copenhagen, REDD will be part of it and will be one of the biggest successes of the climate summit.
"As a scientist, I'm thrilled to see the science negotiators provide recommendations that will create strong emissions accounting rules. For example, this text encourages the use of the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change guidelines on how to account for emissions from forest loss. This is gratifying, as UCS has been advocating for the use of the most recent science.
"Negotiators literally have been working every day until late at night to develop treaty language on REDD. It's clear that the negotiators understand that we need to reduce emissions from deforestation to adequately address climate change because clearing tropical forests creates about 15 percent of global emissions.
"This document provides a good foundation, but work remains to be done on other related texts. For example, strong language is needed to protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples."
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
