Nicholas Stern signs pledge urging Native Forest Protection at Copenhagen

The Wilderness Society Inc
Media Release
14 December 2009

The world’s leading climate change economist Sir Nicholas Stern has joined with 57 countries and signed a pledge at Copenhagen, organised by the Wilderness Society, to protect unlogged native forests as part of a new global agreement to fight climate change.

The inclusion of Sir Nicholas Stern on the Forests Pledge has occurred at a critical time as negotiations at Copenhagen enter the final week and will now involve Ministers from nations attending to agree on a deal to 'reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation' (the REDD mechanism).

57 countries have signed the Forests Pledge, including Brazil, France, Indonesia and most of the African countries. However, Australia, Norway, most EU countries and the US have not yet been willing to do so. View full list here >>

Significantly, the Governor of the Brazilian state of Amazonas in the heart of the Amazon has also signed The Wilderness Society’s Forests Pledge. Brazil has a pivotal role to play in forging an agreement on REDD at Copenhagen.

Youth campaigner for the Wilderness Society, Gemma Tillack, secured the high level signatories by making a plea on behalf of international youth and future generations.

“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,” Ms Tillack said.

“It is ironic that so many countries are calling for protection of developing countries' native forests but developed countries are still not prepared to protect their own forests, especially those of Australia, Canada and Russia.”

The Forest Pledge emphasises required core objectives of REDD in the Copenhagen climate deal. 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