Deforestation

Climate Treaty Plans to Slow Heat-Trapping Emissions from Tropical Deforestation Must Include Rules to Protect Biodiversity, Top Scientists Conclude

WASHINGTON (November 16, 2009) – In a paper published today in the scientific journal Current Biology, an international group of leading conservation scientists conclude that plans to reduce heat-trapping emissions from tropical forests must include provisions to protect plants and animals from extinction.    » read more »

As Fossil Fuel Emissions Rise, Deforestation Makes up Smaller Percent, Still Significant Problem

BARCELONA, SPAIN (November 6, 2009) — Scientists and non-governmental organizations at the United Nations climate negotiations commented today on the percentage of global warming emissions that is due to tropical deforestation, in light of a new analysis published earlier this week in Nature Geoscience. The group, which included most of the leading experts on deforestation emissions, released the following statement:    » read more »

Landmark reforms were aimed at halting deforestation, illegal wood products

Washington, D.C. (Nov. 3) -- The Sierra Club and the United Steelworkers (USW) today voiced concerns over a decision by regulators to grant special exemptions for pulp and paper from the Lacey Act reforms of 2008.

These landmark reforms aim to protect the world’s forests and communities by halting the import and sale of illegally-sourced wood products in the U.S. Under the Lacey Act reforms importers must declare the country and harvest of origin for their products, an essential step to creating transparency in a previously unregulated market where US demand was driving deforestation around the world.

The concerns were submitted in joint comments to the Federal Register on Nov. 2.    » read more »

Washington, DC - 03/18/2009 - As the first round of the NCAA national basketball tournament prepares to tip off tomorrow, the Pew Environment Group launched a new ad campaign that appeals to President Barack Obama’s affinity for the sport by calling for a “time out” on new road building in undeveloped national forests.

A bipartisan group of 25 U.S Senators and 121 U.S. House members this week also asked the Obama administration to suspend industrial activity in the nation’s remaining wild forests until they can be permanently protected.    » read more »

Feb. 12, 2008 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter today created the Colorado Forest Health Advisory Council, a multi-agency action group that will coordinate and lead efforts to address the mountain pine beetle epidemic and other threats to Colorado's 22.6 million acres of forestland. View the Executive Order here.    » read more »

24 January 2008 -- The Brazilian government says deforestation of the Amazon surged during the last five months of 2007.

The report, issued Wednesday, says that between August and December of last year more than 3,000 square kilometers of the world's largest rain forest were cleared. Environment ministry officials say that number may be higher after they analyze satellite images with a higher resolution.

Brazil's environment minister, Marina Silva, and other ministers are meeting with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva Thursday to discuss how to curb deforestation.    » read more »

Facility will Tackle Climate Change and Deforestation

BALI, INDONESIA, December 11, 2007— World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick launched a groundbreaking financing mechanism today to combat tropical deforestation and climate change.

The Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) was developed because forests are more important left standing than cut. It will reduce deforestation and forest degradation by compensating developing countries for carbon dioxide reductions realized by maintaining their forests.    » read more »

September 13, 2007 -- Washington, DC – The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved the Tropical Forest and Coral Conservation Act of 2007, which was introduced last week by Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (D-DE) and U.S. Sen. Dick Lugar (R-IN), the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The legislation extends an initiative to protect tropical forests worldwide and broadens the initiative’s mandate to include coral reefs.    » read more »

16 June 2007 -- Delegates from 171 nations have wrapped up a conference on endangered species by putting trade restrictions on ivory, several commercial timber species and some fish.

The meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, known as CITES, ended in The Hague Friday. At the 12-day talks, the delegates also approved trade limits on red and pink coral used in jewelry, saying over-harvesting in the Mediterranean and Pacific threatens to wipe it out.    » read more »

Top forest researchers have published an article in Science that shows how reductions in tropical deforestation could lower heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere to relatively safe levels

CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (May 10, 2007) – Slowing tropical deforestation is one of the most important ways to avert severe climate change, according to a new study published today in the journal Science.    » read more »