Climate change economist Sir Nicholas Stern has joined with 57 countries and signed a pledge at Copenhagen to protect unlogged native forests as part of a new global agreement to fight climate change.
Other countries to sign the Forests Pledge include Brazil, France, Indonesia and most of the African countries. However, Australia, Norway, most EU countries and the US have not yet signed.
"To have the support of such important high level signatories as Sir Nicholas Stern and Governor Eduardo Braga of Amazonas to protecting and restoring natural forests for a climate solution is a strong message that we hope will influence world leaders as they finalise the agreement on the fate of forests in developing countries," says Gemma Tillack, youth campaigner for the Wilderness Society.
The Forest Pledge emphasises required core objectives of REDD in the Copenhagen climate deal. The Wilderness Society says at the heart of debate over REDD and still awaiting resolution, is:
- protecting intact natural forest
- restoring degraded natural forest
- including protecting the rights and interests of indigenous peoples and forest communities in such forests
The pledge was organised by the Wilderness Society.
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