Save forests for safe climate

9.3 Billion Tonnes Of Carbon In Old Forests Ignored In Climate Policy - The Federal Opposition has missed a golden opportunity to focus on the huge stores of carbon in Australia’s remaining old-growth native forests as part of its plan to reduce greenhouse emissions, the Wilderness Society said today.

Following the release of the Tasmanian Government’s ‘wedges project”, environment groups today expressed dismay at the apparent lack of analysis and acceptance of the actual emissions from forestry activities and the immediate climate benefits that could be achieved by protecting native forests.

Australia have formally announced their support for the Copenhagen Accord, the agreement that was brokered in the final hours of the Copenhagen climate talks in December.

Returning from the bitterly disappointing UN Copenhagen Climate Change conference where world leaders failed and talks collapsed delivering only a weak agreement insufficient to go anywhere near tackling the global threat, the Wilderness Society delivered their initial prognosis on the wash up for forests and ecosystems.

The overall result is particularly disappointing because the Wilderness Society and the alliance we created and work closely with (The Ecosystems Climate Alliance (ECA)) did a magnificent job on a core element of the fight against climate change – protecting and restoring the world’s forests. The good things achieved will have to be fought for again if there is no overarching agreement to implement them.

Copenhagen – The impending collapse of climate change talks here has dashed hopes that the Copenhagen process could provide real solutions to protect the world’s forests and reduce the approximately 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. The sections of the proposed treaty intended to address deforestation in developing and developed countries (known as REDD and LULUCF, respectively) have been frozen as nations fail to agree on concrete measures to halt climate change

Youth representatives at the Copenhagen climate talks have united behind a campaign to convince negotiators and ministers to make sure the next climate deal protect's the world´s forests and the rights and interests of Indigenous peoples who live in the forests.

Copenhagen – U.S. pledges announced in the last 24 hours are inadequate to ensure the long term success of the proposed UNFCCC program to reduce the approximately 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions that stem from the destruction and degradation of the world’s tropical forests (commonly known as REDD.), according to the forest and climate experts from the Ecosystems Climate Alliance.

Copenhagen – As REDD negotiating text goes to ministers this morning at the Copenhagen climate change talks, two outcomes are possible with several pivotal issues undecided.  An agreement to reduce deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD) could be the strongest global measure ever enacted to protect the world’s forests or a deal to incentivize their destruction, according to forest and climate experts from the Ecosystems Climate Alliance.