WWF - Forest conservation news

Brazil sets example on halting forest loss

2009-11-18

Brasilia, Brazil: The recent announcement by Brazil – one of the world’s top emitters of greenhouse gases from deforestation - that it is adopting new emissions reduction targets could help steer negotiators in Copenhagen toward a stronger climate change deal.

Brazil’s top environment ministers said late last week the country is committing to an emission reduction target of between 36.1 and 38.9 percent by 2020. Brazil announced those figures only a day after saying new data showed the lowest deforestation rates in the Amazon in the past 21 years.

The new commitment can help unblock and steer climate negotiations toward a new global agreement in Copenhagen, which will be considered next month, said WWF-Brazil CEO Denise Hamú.

"As Brazil announces these figures, it moves from a situation where it merely holds developed countries to account to a situation where it can be a role model in the establishment of a new low-carbon development model for the world," Hamú said.

"It should be noted, however, that the data needs to be more detailed,” she said. “We are not sure which baseline scenario was used, that is, how the Brazilian government estimated Brazil's emission growth trends by the end of the next decade. Neither do we know how we will reach those targets.”

“No detailed information is available on all actions across the various industries and on our low-carbon plan of action. It is fundamental that all government policies be consistent with the announcement made today," Hamú said.

As far as international climate negotiations are concerned, Brazil now has a more legitimate case to demand a clearer financial support commitment from the developed nations for the establishment of adequate actions to adapt to the effects of global warming, according to WWF.

Data released by the Brazilian government earlier this month showed that the deforestation rate in the Amazon fell between August 2008 and July 2009. Overall, the deforested region is a 45 percent smaller than Amazon land cleared the previous year, or between August 2007 and July 2008.

This is the lowest rate of deforestation in the Amazon since record-keeping began in 2000, and down from a high of more than 27,000 square kms in 2004.

However, deforestation also must be reduced in other damaged forest areas in Brazil, such as in the Cerrado, according to WWF:

Despite conservation efforts, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate – 13 million hectares per year, or 36 football fields a minute. It generates almost 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and halting forest loss has been identified as one of the most cost-effective ways to keep the world out of the danger zone of runaway climate change.

Asia governors call for forest focus in climate deal

2009-11-13

Singapore: Asian governors from forest-rich countries, gathering in Singapore on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting this week, are urging world leaders to place forests at the forefront of climate change discussions.

The participating governors, convened by the Asian Development Bank, are discussing compensation under the emerging global forest carbon market – including the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) mechanism – to support local development in their regions and protect forests.

Specifically, the Heart of Borneo (HoB) Initiative was raised as a prime example of the sort of action needed in the region to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The HoB was established in 2007 by joint declaration of the three Bornean governments - Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei - and commits to the preservation and sustainable development of around 240,000 km2 area of continuous forest in the Heart of Borneo.

Speaking at the meeting, Indonesia’s governor of central Kalimantan (on the island of Borneo), the Honourable Augustin Teras Narang, said:

“The Heart of Borneo Initiative is an opportunity to address climate change through REDD, sustainable forest management and payment for environmental services, but we need real incentives and equitable financing mechanisms to realise the ambitious goals of the Heart of Borneo.”

Large scale carbon-rich forest landscapes such as the Heart of Borneo can play a major role in achieving emission reduction targets while conserving and sustainably managing the forests of Borneo.

The Heart of Borneo is one of the most important centres of biodiversity with record rates of endemism. In addition, the tropical forest and important peatlands of the region hold significant amounts of carbon and play a vital role in mitigating global warming.

"The Heart of Borneo is a global treasure chest of ecosystem goods and services, but these life-sustaining functions are not valued or properly compensated,” said Adam J. Tomasek, WWF's Leader for the Heart of Borneo Initiative. “It is important that the bold commitments made by the three governments under the Heart of Borneo are met with new and viable financing mechanisms for large-scale forest conservation and sustainable management. Equitable compensation for REDD is not just a good idea, it is absolutely necessary,” he said.

At the closing reception, Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda highlighted the importance of initiatives such as REDD in addressing climate change.

“Addressing climate change, via reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation, is one of the central goals of the ADB,” he said.

The ADB and WWF are jointly supporting the Heart of Borneo initiative by mobilizing much needed financial and technical resources to deliver the goals agreed by the three Bornean governments.

Falling Amazon deforestation rates create opportunity for other damaged forests

2009-11-13

Brasilia, Brazil: Fewer trees were cut down in the Amazon this year, creating an opportunity to apply sound government policies to halt deforestation in other damaged forests, WWF says.

Data released Thursday by the Brazilian government shows that the deforestation rate in the Amazon fell between August 2008 and July 2009. Overall, the deforested region is a 45 percent smaller than Amazon land cleared the previous year, or between August 2007 and July 2008.

This is the lowest rate of deforestation in the Amazon since record-keeping began in 2000, and down from a high of more than 27,000 square kms in 2004.

However, the Amazon did lose 7,008 square kms of forest this year, according to government officials and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who attended a ceremony Thursday to announce this year’s deforestation figures.

According to Denise Hamú, WWF-Brazil's CEO, although it is essential to recognize the efforts made by the federal and state governments as well as Brazilian society in general, further action is required.
"Deforestation needs to continue falling in a sustainable manner and must take place in other Brazilian biomes in addition to the Amazon, such as the Cerrado", she stated.

Hamú also said that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Copenhagen in December, will be a good opportunity for Brazil to defend the adoption of clear and ambitious emission reduction commitments by the participant countries.

"Deforestation numbers such as the ones showed today by President Lula strengthen Brazil's credentials to lead the climate negotiations and take the forefront in building a new development model for the world that respects the environment and the people", Hamú said.

Among the other biomes, the most critical situation is found in the Cerrado. While deforestation in the Amazon has finally fallen below 10,000 km2, in the Cerrado it surpasses 20,000 km2.

Despite conservation efforts, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate – 13 million hectares per year, or 36 football fields a minute. It generates almost 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and halting forest loss has been identified as one of the most cost-effective ways to keep the world out of the danger zone of runaway climate change.

According to Cláudio Maretti, WWF-Brazil's Conservation Director, apart from decreasing emissions caused by deforestation in the Amazon the country needs to work on achieving reductions in the industry and transport sectors, and especially in energy generation and transmission processes.

"After all, the planet urgently needs expressive greenhouse gas emission reductions", he said.

Positive efforts made by the Brazilian government that should be applied in other areas include: Creating and implementing protected areas, promoting sustainable forest management, restricting public credit for land grabbers and deforesters, and promoting land tenure regularization actions. Also important are efforts to minimize the impacts of large-scale infrastructure projects such as roads and dams.

In addition, Maretti said it is essential to implement a consistent payment mechanism for ecological services - which consists in compensating producers who conserve the standing forest.

Palm oil roundtable breaks emissions logjam

2009-11-05

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil this week agreed to consider implementing voluntary measures to encourage producers and buyers of palm oil to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

The Roundtable’s 7th annual conference came to a close Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Titled “Moving Ahead in Challenging Times,” the three-day conference drew more than 800 people from inside and outside of the palm oil industry, including buyers and producers.

After several rounds of heated discussion this week, the Roundtable’s Executive Board reached a compromise in which some emissions reduction requirements will be directly incorporated in the Roundtable’s certification standards.

They agreed to further address the issue and hammer out emissions measures related to land use change before the next Roundtable conference in 2010. To this end, they will develop a voluntary framework within which companies will work together to reduce emissions.

This objective received considerable support by producers from outside Malaysia and Indonesia who said they will use this voluntary standard as soon as it becomes available, while committing to stop the expansion of plantations on peat lands.

“This is a move in the right direction,” said Adam Harrison, WWF’s representative on the RSPO Executive Board. “We encourage companies to embrace emissions reduction standards once they become available and do their part to avoid the catastrophic effects of climate change.”

The conference also focused on the frustration by producers concerning the slow uptake of certified sustainable palm oil by buyers. The sluggish market prompted WWF to publish the Palm Oil Buyers’ Scorecard on Oct. 28, a project that assessed the performance of 59 European retailers and manufacturers buying palm oil.

The Scorecard showed that the majority of European palm oil buyers are failing to buy certified sustainable palm oil, despite its availability and the previous commitments by many companies to purchase it.

The Scorecard was presented and widely discussed at the conference. It was praised by producers and buyers alike as a positive vehicle for bringing much needed transparency to this growing market and showing companies buying palm oil that they are expected to do their part in transforming the palm oil market.

The growing demand for palm oil is adding to the already severe pressure on remaining rainforest areas of the world. The loss of forest in Indonesia is threatening the survival of species such as the orang-utan, the Sumatran tiger, rhino and elephant. Forest loss and the draining of peatlands for palm oil plantations is also contributing to climate change and displacing local people who rely on the forest for food and shelter. Palm oil is one of the world’s fastest expanding crops in Southeast Asia as well as West Africa and South America.

It is because of threats like this that WWF worked with other NGOs and the palm oil industry to set up the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in 2003. Since then WWF has worked with the industry to ensure that the RSPO standards contain robust social and environmental criteria, including a prohibition on the conversion of valuable forests. Certified Sustainable Palm Oil has been available since November 2008 and provides assurance that valuable tropical forests have not been cleared and that environmental and social safeguards have been met during the production of the palm oil.

WWF opted to grade palm oil buyers after releasing figures in May showing that only a small percentage of the sustainable palm oil available on the market had been bought. Since then, the situation is starting to improve. Over the last year, RSPO certified plantations have produced over 1,000,000 tonnes of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO), and over 250,000 tonnes have been sold to date. While this still represents only 22 percent of the available supply on average, the RSPO has reported that CSPO sales have been growing in recent months.

A Special GFTN Announcement

2009-11-01

I would like to inform GFTN supporters that Richard McLellan has stepped down as the Head of GFTN to take up a position in WWF’s Conservation Communications Unit. I would like to thank Richard for his leadership over the last 18 months. During this time, Richard has overseen an important phase in the development of the GFTN. Under Richard’s leadership, GFTN has been consolidated under a global GFTN “brand”, with local offices adopting a common set of participation rules and aligning behind a global business plan. Richard leaves GFTN in a strong position to focus more on the external world and step up its engagement with business and industry.

A search for a new Head of the GFTN with a track record of leadership in the forest and trade arena is currently underway, (see announcement in this newsletter) and we would appreciate your support in spreading the word about this exciting career opportunity.

In the meantime, George White will act as the interim Head of GFTN as well continuing his role as the GFTN Responsible Purchasing Coordinator. Before joining GFTN in 2004, George worked for over 10 years with J Sainsbury plc in the UK and US on sourcing issues for products such as timber, paper, peat, fish and fuels, including the policies and procedures to allow group companies to meet their commitments to GFTN-UK. George has a Bachelor of Science degree in Forestry & Forest Products Technology from Brunel University.

Kind Regards,

Rod Taylor

Director, Forests

WWF International

Bulgarian natural icon turns 75 under threat of dubious construction activities

2009-10-28

Sofia, Bulgaria – A massive expansion of skiing infrastructure is threatening the essence of Vitosha Natural Park, one of Bulgaria’s most famous and popular protected areas, on the eve of it’s 75th anniversary.

Right at the edge of national capital Sofia, Vitosha mountain is a much loved destination for those wishing to escape the hustle and bustle of a busy city. Trekking routes and skiing facilities attract between 2,5 and 4 million people each year.

However, three years after acquiring a monopoly on skiing facilities in the area in an already dubious manner, Vitosha Ski, is planning to boost the current 19 ha ski area more than seven fold to 142,5 ha, adding eight new ski pistes and 18 ski lifts.

If the construction goes ahead, it would destroy the habitats of the species including bears, wolves, wild cats and chamois for which Vitosha was designated a European Natura 2000 site.

The new ski zone would rise on territory owned by the state, for which the Forestry Agency is responsible and although the Forestry Agency has not yet approved the plans the threat must be taken seriously.

“From the very beginning the ski zone expansion has been planned and pushed through in a way that is quite obviously in breach of a number of Bulgarian laws, not only environmental” , Vesselina Kavrakova, Program Manager of the WWF Danube - Carpathian Program in Bulgaria, said.

Worryingly, this is yet another case in Bulgaria of illegal or semi-legal construction of ski and tourism infrastructure. Among others, many of the skiing facilities of the well known resort of Bansko in south-west Bulgaria were unlawfully built in the heart of Pirin National Park.

The European Commission has initiated penalty procedures against Bulgaria because of violations of environmental law in the case of Bansko.

Earlier this month environment minister Nona Karadjova abolished a non-transparent decision by the Regional inspectorate of environment and water that would have given a go-ahead to construction work.

“We welcome the Minister’s decision”, Toma Belev, Director of Vitosha Nature Park administration, said. “The interest in protected areas in Bulgaria and Romania by private investors is huge as these areas are part of the nations’ natural treasure, emblematic for these countries and therefore easier to ‘exploit’.”

In an opinion poll conducted by Alpha Research in 2008, 73.6% of respondents said that destruction of nature is the greatest environmental problem in Bulgaria; 58.3% said that illegal construction was the greatest problem.

In 2007, over 145,000 people signed a petition calling on the Bulgarian authorities to take action.

Once upon a time in a far away land there was a forest…

2009-10-28

Frankfurt, Germany – Significant amounts of destruction of tropical forests could be involved in producing books for German children, an investigation by WWF-Germany has shown.

With fewer childrens’ books being produced in Germany and even fewer being produced from German paper pulp, WWF Germany subjected 51 German children’s books produced in south east Asia to analysis for the presence of tropical timbers not associated with plantations.

More than a third of the books tested positive for significant traces of tropical wood, including one which ironically commenced with the words “We are writing this in the year 2805. The human race has left the planet earth… nothing grows here anymore…”.

The results are likely to understate the problem, as much plantation pulp comes from cleared areas of tropical forest with well documented impacts on species which can include endangered tigers, elephants and rhinoceros, human rights violations and massive contributions to greenhouse gas emissions.

“We chose children’s books as a striking amount of the production has been relocated to Asia, with nearly two thirds of German children’s books imports now coming from China alone. The relocation of the book production from Germany to Asia has grown nearly tenfold during the last ten years” said Johannes Zahnen, Forest expert WWF Germany.

“There is also the irony that it is children who have the most stake in the future and who will be most impacted by unsustainable book production.”

Risks that wood used is from illegal logging is high as the Chinese paper industry has close and increasing ties with companies active in areas of Indonesia, where forest clearing is destroying large areas of peat forest shielding vast sources of carbon.

Forest draining and destruction in the Sumatran province of Riau alone results in greater emissions than the industrialised nation of the Netherlands, with 40 per cent of the destruction being tied to the company Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) and its suppliers.

APP, in turn, is increasing its inroads into the Chinese pulp and paper industry, through associated companies such as Gold East Paper which provides paper for books printing and Yalong Paper Products, which includes direct production of picture and drawing books for children among its activities.

WWF Germany is calling on German publishing houses to use paper certified as coming from sustainable sources, used recycled paper and give priority to paper bleached without the use of chlorine products.

“We supply scorecard to find the most environmentally friendly alternative for a given product.”

Most European palm oil buyers fail sustainability test

2009-10-27

Gland, Switzerland – The majority of European palm oil buyers are failing to buy certified sustainable palm oil, despite its availability and the previous commitments by many companies to purchase it, according to a first assessment by WWF.

WWF’s Palm Oil Buyers’ Scorecard, released today, scored the performance of 59 of the most prominent retailers and manufacturers in Europe that buy and use palm oil in their products. The Scorecard comes as the world’s largest producers, buyers, and traders of palm oil gather for the 7th Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, held Nov. 2-4 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The Scorecard reveals that 10 of those 59 companies have scored 20 or more points, and thus are considered by WWF to be showing real progress on their commitments to buy and use sustainable palm oil. They have joined the Roundtable, properly monitored their palm oil purchases, and have put in place and started to take action on commitments to buy certified sustainable palm oil.

WWF has been asking buyers of palm oil to commit to the RSPO since 2003, and while some of these companies show encouraging signs of stepping up their commitments and actions on sustainable palm oil, the majority of companies are not. 19 of the 59 companies scored between 0 and 3 out of 29 possible points, meaning that they have taken very little or no action to curb their use of non-certified palm oil and are failing to respond to the efforts that palm oil producers have made to achieve certification under the Roundtable

Meanwhile, a range of 28 companies scored between 5 – 20 points. While a few are showing progress many of these have only just begun to take action on responsible palm oil. While some have put policies and systems in place, often they have yet to start buying certified sustainable palm oil.

“WWF welcomes the action of those companies that have moved toward buying certified palm oil,” said Rod Taylor, Director of the Forests Programme at WWF International. “Although many companies have a long way to go, the performances of the top companies in the Scorecard signal to the rest of the industry that it is possible to turn commitment into action and transform the market.”
Further actions by these companies will be captured in the next version of the Scorecard, scheduled for 2011.

“However, WWF also acknowledges that even the top scoring companies in the Scorecard need to continue to raise their game if they are to use certified palm oil for 100% of their palm oil supply, which is the stated objective of many of these companies.”

“Because certified palm oil is now available, it is time to hold major palm oil users to account for their policies and actions,” Taylor said.

The growing demand for palm oil is adding to the already severe pressure on remaining rainforest areas of the world. The loss of forest in Indonesia is threatening the survival of species such as the orang-utan, the Sumatran tiger, rhino and elephant. Forest loss and the draining of peatlands for palm oil plantations is also contributing to climate change and displacing local people who rely on the forest for food and shelter. Palm oil is one of the world’s fastest expanding crops in Southeast Asia as well as West Africa and South America.

It is because of threats like this that WWF worked with other NGOs and the palm oil industry to set up the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in 2003. Since then WWF has worked with the industry to ensure that the RSPO standards contain robust social and environmental criteria, including a prohibition on the conversion of valuable forests. Certified Sustainable Palm Oil has been available since November 2008 and provides assurance that valuable tropical forests have not been cleared and that environmental and social safeguards have been met during the production of the palm oil.

WWF opted to grade palm oil buyers after releasing figures in May showing that only a small percentage of the sustainable palm oil available on the market had been bought. Since then, the situation is starting to improve. Over the last year, RSPO certified plantations have produced over 1,000,000 tonnes of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO), and over 195,000 tonnes have been sold to date. While this still represents only 19 percent of the available supply on average, the RSPO has reported that CSPO sales have been growing in recent months.

The scoring of companies was a two-step process that took six months to complete. In the first step, WWF evaluated the performance of companies based on publicly available data, such as corporate sustainability reports. WWF then sent a preliminary score to each company with a package of information to brief companies about the Scorecard, including details on the project’s objectives and the methodology. The companies were given the opportunity to submit additional information to WWF that might improve their scores.

The Scorecard will be published every two years and eventually will expand to include palm oil buyers in other markets around the world.

Enabling Markets to Work for Forests

2009-10-26

WWF and the GFTN attended the XIIIth World Forestry Congress, a week-long dialogue held October 18-23, 2009 in Buenos Aires, organized by the government of Argentina in collaboration with the Forestry Department of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, attracting 4,500 participants from over 160 countries. Throughout the week speeches, workshops, round-table discussions, poster presentations, parallel events, exhibits, study and technical tours will provide a forum for the exchange of personal experiences and for discussions on topics related to the conference theme, "Forests in development – a vital balance."

WWF strategically engaged attendees through three side events and an institutional presence in the Congress exhibition hall, focusing on how companies, governments, financial institutions and other key stakeholders could contribute to the conservation of the world’s valuable and threatened forests.

At the Congress, WWF challenged government leaders, NGOs and businesses, in a keynote presentation delivered by Rodney Taylor, Director of WWF International’s Forest Programme, to back an ambitious target on stopping forest loss—zero net deforestation by 2020—as a major element of efforts to avert the looming climate catastrophe.

To support this target, WWF addressed the critical role that forest companies play in providing solutions to climate change through responsible management of forests and plantations by showcasing its leading, innovative solutions—GFTN and New Generation Plantations Project—at a special event that attracted over 255 attendees. The discourse demonstrated how the global marketplace can be harnessed as a key force to conserve the world’s valuable and threatened forests, while providing economic and social benefits for the businesses and people that depend on them.

"WWF believes companies in the forest sector can play a critical role in providing solutions to climate change through sustainable management of natural forests and plantations,” said Rodney Taylor, Director of WWF-International’s forest programme.

Experts in industry and government shared their experiences and insights into how markets can advance responsible forestry and trade practices. Representatives from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC) and State Forestry Administration of China shared how these market mechanisms are key to conserving the vital forests in their countries.

“WWF through GFTN has been instrumental in promoting responsible forest management in the Congo Basin, achieving credible certification for 4.7 million hectares since December 2005,” said Martin Tadoum, COMIFAC Deputy Executive Secretary.

Industry also recognized the vital role of responsible forest management and trade practices in their business operations, asserting that environmentally and socially responsible business practices not only benefit the world’s forests but also their commercial objectives.

“We view our commitment to responsible forestry and credible certification as a worthwhile investment. Sustainability and environmentally and socially responsible practices are good business for us,” said Savio C. K. Chow, President of Export, China Flooring Holding Co. Ltd, a GFTN Participant in China and Peru.

For more information contact Hisayo Fujikawa (hisayo.fujikawa@wwfus.org)

Forests fundamental to effective climate deal

2009-10-25

Buenos Aires, Argentina – The world’s ability to control climate change could be crippled if global leaders do not support clear and effective targets to arrest deforestation at climate talks in Copenhagen in December, WWF said at the conclusion of a key global foresty summit.

As the XIIIth World Forestry Congress finished Friday, WWF called for an ambitious and bold climate deal at Copenhagen to give clear guidance and incentives for the forestry sector to do its part in stopping catastrophic climate change and adapt to predicted changes.

“Setting immediate deforestation targets is a key component of any climate change agreement,” said Rodney Taylor, Director of WWF International’s Forest program.

“If the global deal on climate change ignores the dangers of unchecked deforestation, it will set the world on an accelerated path to savage climate change.”

Despite conservation efforts, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate – 13 million hectares per year, or 36 football fields a minute. It generates almost 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and halting forest loss has been identified as one of the most cost-effective ways to keep the world out of the danger zone of runaway climate change.

To this end, WWF during the Congress proposed a global target of zero net deforestation by 2020 to avoid runaway climate change and stop the current catastrophic trend of species loss.

“A zero net deforestation by 2020 target will set the scale and urgency needed to gather the political will to stop forest loss,” Taylor said.

WWF will continue to advocate for a strong deforestation target to be included in all other relevant international treaties and agreements, including in the Convention on Biological Diversity.

In Copenhagen, negotiators need to agree to strong financial and emissions reduction commitments to craft a climate deal that enables developing countries to halt forest loss.

“WWF received strong feedback at the Congress from various sectors, including governments, other NGOs, and the private sector to support our target on deforestation,” said Gerald Steindlegger, WWF International’s Forest Manager on Global Policy.

Many developing countries already are adopting major deforestation policies that mirror WWF’s call for zero net deforestation by 2020.

On Wednesday, government representatives from Argentina and Paraguay pledged during a special ceremony co-hosted by WWF and its partner organization Fundacion Vida Silvestre at the Congress to work towards zero net deforestation in the Atlantic Forest, and to implement a package of measures that include national legislation to enforce those commitments.

The Atlantic Forest initially spanned 500,000 square kms, shared between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. However, only 7.4 percent of the forest is left today – or about 35,000 square kilometers, making it one of the most threatened and fragmented subtropical forests in the world.

Meanwhile, the Brazilian government already has established a zero deforestation target by 2010 for the Atlantic Forest. Brazil also has pledged to establish protected areas covering at least 10 percent of the forest.

This year, the World Forestry Congress brought together more than 4,000 participants in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

WWF: Responsible forest finance can help stop climate change

2009-10-23

Buenos Aires, Argentina — Failure by the world’s financial leaders to support responsible forest finance will allow rampant deforestation to continue and contribute to the disastrous effects of climate change.

WWF’s Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) and the Finance Alliance for Sustainable Trade (FAST) on Thursday asked global financial institutions to take a leading role in stopping climate change during the XIIIth World Forestry Congress, taking place this week in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

WWF’s GFTN also announced that it will launch Investment Screening Guidelines for Financial Investors in coming months to encourage support for responsible forest finance.

This innovative resource will identify key environmental and social principles and criteria that need to be considered in all investment decisions pertaining to the forest sector, such as timber, pulp and paper, and other sectors whose activities impact forests, including palm oil cultivation and mining.

“For WWF, the flipside of encouraging investment in good forestry is discouraging banks from financing unsustainable operation,” said Rodney Taylor, WWF International’s Forest Director.

Taylor also said this tool can help the financial community differentiate between good and bad forestry practices.

In addition, financial leaders must recognize the monetary value of natural standing forests, WWF said.
“Financial institutions must recognize the business opportunities in the responsible forestry sector,” said Noemi Perez, FAST’s Executive Director. “FAST is working together with the GFTN to link like-minded financial institutions with responsible producers, creating investments that are not only sound for business, but also contribute to the conservation of the world’s forests.”

Though investors see a huge potential in a forest carbon market — as recently identified in WWF’s 2009 Forest Carbon Investor Survey — recent studies by the GFTN have identified an wariness by financiers to invest in forestry because they believe it involves too much risk and volatility. Studies also showed that investors thought the forest sector lacks suitable collateral from small- to medium-sized businesses.

As a result, there is limited access to money to finance the efforts of responsible forest producers. For example, 69 per cent of responsible forest producers surveyed felt that it was difficult to secure adequate financing, particularly in South America where companies heavily rely on informal investment sources.

To bridge this divide between the needs of responsible producers and the lack of financial capital for this sector, GFTN and FAST, together with the Forest Stewardship Council and the International Finance Corporation co-hosted a special meeting at the Congress.

Responsible forest finance is the support by financial institutions for sustainable business practices in the forest sector.

Paraguay nuevamente a la vanguardia en la lucha contra la deforestación

2009-10-22

Buenos Aires, Argentina – El pasado jueves 15 de octubre Paraguay y Argentina realizaron un histórico compromiso para salvar uno de los bosques más amenazados del mundo.

Durante una ceremonia especial en el marco del XIII Congreso Mundial Forestal, los gobiernos de ambos países, acordaron trabajar para lograr la meta de la deforestación neta cero en el Bosque Atlántico del Alto Paraná. Al tiempo de implementar una serie de medidas en ambos países que incluye una legislación nacional que ayude a reforzar el logro de este compromiso.

El Bosque Atlántico del Alto Paraná, que inicialmente contaba con un área de 500.000 Km2, se encuentra ubicado entre Argentina, Brasil y Paraguay. Sin embargo solamente queda 7.4% (alrededor de 35.000 km2), siendo hoy en día una de las eco-regiones forestales más amenazadas y fragmentadas del mundo.

Para preservar el Bosque Atlántico, Argentina implementará un nuevo plan de manejo de tierra, que asegurará la conservación de aproximadamente 1.1 millones de hectáreas del Bosque.

Mientras tanto, Paraguay ha extendido la vigencia de la ley de deforestación cero hasta el 2013, y está trabajando con las comunidades cuya supervivencia dependen del Bosque Atlántico del Alto Paraná, para introducir medidas económicas alternativas que promuevan el desarrollo sustentable de las poblaciones.

En Brasil, el gobierno ya ha establecido para el 2010 una meta de ley de deforestación cero en el Bosque Atlántico. Asimismo, se ha comprometido a establecer áreas protegidas que equivalen al 10% de cobertura del bosque.

“Este importante compromiso demuestra como las políticas coordinadas entre países pueden detener la pérdida de biodiversidad y el avance del cambio climático”, mencionó Diego Moreno, Director General de la Fundación Vida Silvestre, organización sin fines de lucro aliada de WWF en Argentina. “Nosotros podemos como países en vías de desarrollo, realizar el esfuerzo coordinado para deterner este problema, pero necesitamos lograr un buen acuerdo de lucha contra el cambio climático en Copenhagen (Dinamarca) en diciembre, ello ayudará en la implementación de las políticas asumidas hoy, y contribuirá al desarrollo sustentable de nuestra región” manifestó Moreno a la prensa.

La expansión de la frontera agrícola, las construcciones, el crecimiento de las ciudades y la explotación forestal de manera no sustentable han contribuido a la rápida degradación del Bosque Atlántico. Actualmente esta eco región, considerada una de las de mayor biodiversidad en el mundo, es el hogar de más de 20.000 especies de plantas de las cuales 8.000 de ellas no existen en ninguna otra parte del mundo, 1.000 especies de aves y 372 especies de anfibios, 350 tipos de peces, 197 especies diferentes de reptiles y 270 tipos de mamíferos.

La extensión del Bosque Atlántico abarca varias de las ciudades importantes del mundo, como lo son San Paulo, Río de Janeiro y Asunción, y ofrece agua potable a millones de personas. Además en su área de extensión se encuentran las famosas cataratas del Iguazú en la frontera de Brasil y Argentina.

A pesar de los esfuerzo de conservación, la deforestación a nivel mundial aún continua con el alarmante índice de 13 millones de hectáreas por año, el equivalente a 36 canchas de futbol por minuto. Esto genera cerca del 20% de las emisiones gases de efecto invernadero. Detener la pérdida de bosques y selvas ha sido identificado como una de las medidas más eficientes y económicas para mantener al mundo fuera del rango de temperaturas peligrosas que puede producir el cambio climático. Esto ya ha sido anunciado en el congreso de líderes mundiales organizado por WWF con miras a lograr la meta de deforestación neta cero para el año 2020.

“Este es un punto de referencia para evitar la inminente catástrofe del cambio climático y frenar la alarmante pérdida de especies” manifestó Rodney Taylor, Director del Programa Bosques de WWF Internacional.

En su discurso inaugural del congreso, el pasado lunes 12 de octubre, Taylor mencionó que la meta de lograr la deforestación neta cero para el 2020 “es un objetivo que establece la escala y la urgencia con que estas amenazas que deben abordarse para mantener la salud del planeta” “Esta decisión tomada por Argentina y Paraguay es un ejemplo del progreso que se puede lograr cuando se reúne la voluntad política para detener la deforestación”

Es importante recalcar en el Paraguay el 50% de la población vive en el área de influencia del Bosque Atlántico del Alto Paraná, y en él se encuentran los mayores reservorios de agua potable de nuestro país.

Por otro lado, en Sudamérica, nuestro país fue el primero en implementar la ley de deforestación cero en el año 2004, que desde entonces viene siendo prorrogada en diferentes periodos.

Para mayor información, visitar:
http://www.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/atlantic_forests.cfm
http://www.panda.org/what_we_do/how_we_work/conservation/forests/

4º Encuentro Social de Negocios de la Madera

2009-10-22

La Cámara Forestal de Bolivia (CFB), con el apoyo del Consejo para la Certificación Forestal Voluntaria (CFV), WWF Bolivia, Rainforest Alliance y SNV, está llevando adelante el 4º Encuentro Social de Negocios de la Madera, a realizarse el viernes 6 de noviembre en el Hotel Buganvillas de Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.

Se trata de un evento especializado dirigido a promover negocios forestales nacionales con un enfoque comunitario entre productores y compradores de maderas tropicales, así como comercializadores de puertas, pisos, decking, tableros y madera aserrada, entre otros. Además estarán presentes inversionistas, proveedores de maquinaria, insumos y servicios.

Previo al Encuentro, que tendrá lugar en horas de la tarde, CFV y WWF aprovecharán en la mañana la presencia de comunidades chiquitanas, guarayas y ayoreas para fortalecer sus técnicas de negociación y para promover el modelo de certificación grupal, un esquema implementado por un grupo de productores forestales, que puede ser mixto (asociando a comunidades, privados, etc.). Apunta a superar los problemas de la certificación individual, reuniendo varias áreas bajo un solo ‘administrador de recursos’ que organiza el proceso de certificación FSC, permitiendo a cada miembro beneficiarse de las economías de escala.

Bolivia presenta un enorme potencial para la aplicación del esquema de certificación grupal, al haberse incrementado la participación de poblaciones indígenas y campesinas en la actividad forestal en los últimos cinco años. WWF promueve la certificación como mecanismo para combatir la tala ilegal y la deforestación, apuntando a conservar los bosques para minimizar el cambio climático y continuar beneficiándonos de los bienes y servicios imprescindibles que estos dan, por la seguridad y el bienestar de la humanidad.

El 3º Encuentro Social de Negocios en 2008 generó alrededor de $US 9 millones en intenciones de negocios, con la participación de 66 empresas de todo el país.

El costo de inscripción es de $US 30.- para Asociados a la CFB y $US 60.- para no Socios.

DATOS DE LOS ENCUENTROS PREVIOS

2006
Nº de empresas: 30
Nº de ASL (Asociaciones Sociales de Lugar) y TCO (Tierras Comunitarias de Origen): 15
Intenciones de negocios (en millones de $US): 6,5
Nº de citas realizadas: 128

2007
Nº de empresas: 32
Nº de ASL y TCO: 13
Intenciones de negocios (en millones de $US): 9,4
Nº de citas realizadas: 142

2008
Nº de empresas: 33
Nº de ASL y TCO: 33
Intenciones de negocios (en millones de $US): 9,0
Nº de citas realizadas: 203

Para mayor información

Karina Tellería, CFB, Tel.: (+591-3) 3332699, rueda.negocios@cfb.org.bo, www.cfb.org.bo
Niels Rodriguez, CFV, Tel.: (+591-3) 3373133, cfv-nrodriguez@scbbs-bo.com, www.consejoforestal.org.bo
Orlando Melgarejo, WWF, Tel.: (+591-3) 3430609, omelgarejo@wwfbolivia.org, www.panda.org/bolivia

Según WWF, frenar la deforestación es clave para luchar contra el cambio climático

2009-10-22

En su conferencia inaugural del Congreso, el Director del Programa Forestal de WWF Internacional, Rodney Taylor, instó a los participantes, incluyendo a los líderes de los gobiernos, ONG y empresas, a apoyar el objetivo global de deforestación neta cero para el 2020.

WWF propone un punto de referencia global para promover una acción en los bosques que evite la amenaza del cambio climático y ponga freno a la pérdida de biodiversidad.

Cabe recordar que, a pesar de los esfuerzos de conservación, la deforestación continúa a un ritmo alarmante: 13 millones de hectáreas por año, es decir, 36 campos de fútbol cada minuto. Esto genera casi el 20 por ciento de las emisiones globales de gases de efecto invernadero. De ahí que poner fin a la pérdida de masa forestal se haya identificado como una de las formas más eficientes de mantener el mundo a salvo de los efectos del cambio climático.

Taylor apuntó que el objetivo de deforestación neta cero para 2020 es una meta común, que pone en evidencia la escala y la urgencia con las que debemos enfrentarnos a estas amenazas para mantener la salud del planeta.

Y continuó: “Esta es una oportunidad para construir un consenso sobre cómo el sector forestal puede ayudar a conseguir un cambio en la tendencia de las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero y, a partir de ahí, un descenso rápido del 80 por ciento para 2050. Y finalizó : “Pero es un objetivo global y sólo podemos conseguirlo actuando juntos”

Taylor consideró este Congreso fundamental para las negociaciones que se mantendrán en Copenhague en diciembre, donde se les pedirá a los países ricos que se comprometan a disminuir sus emisiones en, al menos, un 40 por ciento para 2020. Además, deberán contribuir con un apoyo financiero de unos 160.000 millones de dólares al año a los países en vías de desarrollo, para permitirles reducir en un 30% sus emisiones, respecto a su trayectoria creciente actual.

En particular, los gobiernos deben reafirmar su compromiso respaldando el mecanismo REDD. Es decir, Reducción de Emisiones de la Deforestación y de la Degradación de los Bosques en países en vías de desarrollo, un mecanismo que provee incentivos fiscales a escala global para conservar los bosques en vez de transformarlos.

“Las naciones ricas pueden aportar fondos para respaldar a los países en vías de desarrollo en sus esfuerzos de poner fin a la deforestación, a través de la iniciativa REDD”, añadió Taylor. “Todos los gobiernos deberían apoyar la inclusión de los mecanismos REDD como una forma creíble y compensada de reducir las emisiones dentro del tratado del clima Post-Kioto”.

Los inversores potenciales que han sido consultados recientemente por WWF afirmaron que, si existiera un apoyo firme de la comunidad internacional y un marco legal nacional, estarían dispuestos a apoyar el mercado de carbono forestal basado en REDD.

Deforestación neta cero para el 2020
WWF está proponiendo un objetivo de deforestación neta cero para 2020 con el fin de consolidar los esfuerzos que detendrán la deforestación a través de varias iniciativas internacionales, y establecer un punto de referencia a partir del cual medir los éxitos de la iniciativa.

Deforestación neta cero no significa deforestación cero. Este término se traduce en que alguna pérdida forestal podría ser compensada con restauración forestal y forestaciones en terrenos degradados. Además, un objetivo neto deja un margen para el cambio en la configuración y el mosaico en el uso del suelo, siempre y cuando la cantidad neta, calidad y densidad de carbono de los bosques se mantenga. Sin embargo, los bosques naturales del mundo deben ser conservados para maximizar las reducciones de emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero y la conservación de la biodiversidad.

“El sector forestal, por su parte, puede contribuir a través de la conservación y el uso sostenible de los bosques, pero los forestales no pueden hacerlo solos”, sostuvo Taylor. “La integración de otros sectores, particularmente la agricultura, la energía y los negocios, es clave para formular políticas de uso sostenible del suelo y procesos planificados”.

Sobre el Congreso Forestal Mundial
El Congreso Forestal Mundial, que se celebra cada seis años, une a miles de responsables de la toma de decisiones y representantes de la industria forestal, incluyendo profesionales del sector, responsables políticos y representantes de las principales industrias y ONG.

El Congreso Forestal Mundial sirve como un foro de intercambio de opiniones y puntos de vista para gobiernos, universidades, sociedad civil y sector privado. Asimismo, en él se formulan recomendaciones que serán implementadas a escala regional, nacional y global. El Congreso también ofrece la oportunidad de presentar un panorama general del estado de los bosques y de la silvicultura para detectar tendencias, adaptar políticas y aumentar la concienciación entre quienes toman las decisiones y el público.

Kimberly-Clark and WWF Work Together to Conserve the World's Forests

2009-10-21

Washington, DC and Dallas, TX – Kimberly-Clark Corporation, one of the world’s largest producers of tissue products, has joined WWF’s Global Forest & Trade Network and committed to increase its use of wood fiber from sustainable sources to help protect the world’s forests. Protecting the world’s forests is critical to addressing climate change as deforestation accounts for nearly 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

“Deforestation is responsible for producing the same amount of CO2 emissions as every plane, train and automobile on the planet,” said WWF President and CEO Carter Roberts. “We commend Kimberly-Clark for continuing to demonstrate leadership and a strong commitment to protecting the world’s most important forests by improving their business practices. WWF’s work with leading companies like Kimberly-Clark is essential in combating global climate change and protecting the abundant biodiversity in the world’s great forests.”

“Sustainability is foundational to our business strategy at Kimberly-Clark,” said Tom Falk, Chairman and CEO of Kimberly-Clark Corporation. “We continue to focus on our strategy for sustainable growth and know that companies who make better choices for the environment and society will contribute to a healthier planet, and achieve long-term success.”

As the world’s largest consumer of industrial timber, pulp and paper, the United States market is critical to protecting forests worldwide. WWF will work with Kimberly-Clark to help implement the company’s global fiber procurement policy and provide support as it progressively increases the amount of responsibly harvested fiber used in making tissue products. Kimberly-Clark has set a target of buying 40% of its North American tissue fiber from recycled and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified sources by 2011 and WWF will provide technical assistance and feedback in reaching that goal.

In addition to participating in the GFTN, Kimberly-Clark has also pledged to support WWF’s efforts to protect High Conservation Value Forests—forests that are especially significant because of their environmental, socio-economic, biodiversity or landscape values. The company will fund the development of robust tools for identifying, mapping and monitoring these high conservation values in priority regions such as the Indonesian island of Sumatra, home to some of the richest and most biological diverse tropical forests on the planet.

“We believe our relationship with WWF will take our sustainability efforts to a new level,” said Suhas Apte, Vice President of Sustainability for Kimberly-Clark. “We look forward to working together to develop new tools to provide more data that will help protect High Conservation Value Forests.”

Kimberly-Clark and WWF will also collaborate to support FSC certification for privately-owned small and medium-sized forest management units, resulting in an increase in the area of FSC-certified forests and volume of FSC-certified products worldwide.

About Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Kimberly-Clark Corporation and its well-known brands are an indispensible part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Every day, 1.3 billion people—nearly a quarter of the world’s population—trust K-C brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in more than 80 countries. Kimberly-Clark had global net sales of $19.4 billion in 2008. Kimberly-Clark employs nearly 53,000 full-time employees, 400 part-time employees and 1,700 people on short-term contracts. To keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the company’s 137-year history of innovation, visit www.kimberly-clark.com.

Note to Editors:

The Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) is WWF’s initiative to eliminate illegal logging and drive improvements in forest management while transforming the global marketplace into a force for saving the world’s valuable and threatened forests. First established in 1991, the GFTN is the world’s longest-running and largest forest and trade program of its kind—assisting hundreds of companies in evaluating their procurement and implementing appropriate action plans to ensure sustainable supply.

By facilitating trade links between companies committed to responsible forestry, the GFTN creates market conditions that help conserve forests while providing economic and social benefits for the businesses and people that depend on them. With combined annual sales of $64 billion, trading by GFTN participants represents 16% of all forest products bought or sold internationally every year. Read more about the GFTN’s work on supporting responsible forest management and trade at www.worldwildlife.org/naftn.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC is a certification system that provides internationally recognized standards, trademark assurance and accreditation services to companies, organizations, and communities interested in responsible forestry.

Argentina, Paraguay make historic forest pledge

2009-10-20

Buenos Aires, Argentina – Argentina and Paraguay on Tuesday made a historic pledge to save one of the world’s most threatened forests.

During a special ceremony at the XIIIth World Forestry Congress, the two governments agreed to work towards zero net deforestation in the Atlantic Forest, and to implement a package of measures that include national legislation to enforce those commitments.

The Atlantic Forest initially spanned 500,000 square kms, shared between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. However, only 7.4 percent of the forest is left today – or about 35,000 square kilometers, making it one of the most threatened and fragment subtropical forests in the world.

To preserve the Atlantic Forest, Argentina will implement new land-use plans that will ensure the conservation of approximately 1.1 million hectares of the forest. Meanwhile, Paraguay has extended the country’s zero deforestation law to 2013, and is working to introduce economic alternatives to people who depend on the Atlantic Forest for their livelihood.

In Brazil, the government already has established a zero deforestation target by 2010 for the Atlantic Forest. Brazil also has pledged to establish protected areas covering at least 10 percent of the forest.

“This important commitment shows how coordinated policies between countries can address biodiversity loss and stop runaway climate change,” said Diego Moreno, Director General of Fundación Vida Silvestre, a WWF partner organization in Argentina.

“We can, as developing countries, make efforts to address this problem, but we need a strong climate deal in Copenhagen in December that can help with the implementation of these policies and contribute to the sustainable development of our region,” Moreno said.

Agricultural expansion, construction, growth of cities, and non-sustainable exploitation led the forest´s destruction. The Atlantic Forest is home to more than 20,000 plants species – of which 8,000 can be found nowhere else – and 1,000 bird species, 372 amphibians, 350 types of fish, 197 types of reptiles, and 270 mammals.

The Atlantic Forest borders major cities such as Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, and Asuncion, and also provides freshwater to millions of people. In addition, the forest houses the world-famous Iguazu Falls, on the border of Brazil and Argentina.

Despite conservation efforts, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate – 13 million hectares per year, or 36 football fields a minute. It generates almost 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and halting forest loss has been identified as one of the most cost-effective ways to keep the world out of the danger zone of runaway climate change

The announcement came as WWF challenged global leaders at the Congress to support a target of zero net deforestation by 2020.

“This is a global benchmark to avoid the looming climate change catastrophe and curb the current alarming loss of species,” said WWF International’s Forests Director Rodney Taylor.

In his keynote address at the Congress on Monday, WWF International’s Forests Director Rodney Taylor said that zero net deforestation by 2020 is “a target that sets the scale and urgency with which these threats need to be tackled to maintain the health of the planet.”

“This decision by Argentina and Paraguay is an example of how progress can be made to halt forest loss when you gather the political will to do it,” Taylor said.

WWF Forest Carbon Initiative: Response to Noel Kempff Climate Action Project

2009-10-20

Introduction
To prevent average global temperatures from increasing by more than 2°C above pre-industrial levels, global CO2 emissions must be reduced by a rapid shift away from the use of fossil fuels, increased energy efficiency and a sustained effort to reduce deforestation and forest degradation.

Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) represents a significant opportunity to curb as much as 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Previous efforts to include REDD within the global climate change regime have fallen through, in part, due to concerns that the policy could not be feasibly implemented. In the years since the Kyoto protocol was enacted, however, significant technical advances have been made – for example, improvements in satellite technology to monitor and measure deforestation. It is now possible to create more robust monitoring, verification and legal frameworks around REDD.

WWF believes that the challenges that have halted REDD implementation in the past are now largely surmountable.

WWF recommends that the post-2012 climate agreement include a clear and effective REDD framework.

The Noel Kempff Climate Action Project

The Noel Kempff Climate Action Project (NKCAP) in Bolivia, initiated by The Nature Conservancy and its partners, is among the first REDD field projects. Projects like this are vital to developing and testing the scientific and technical tools required to develop national-level REDD programs in forested countries. Probing the models underpinning such REDD projects is also an important process to advance understanding of how to develop sound REDD mechanisms.

The weaknesses and challenges encountered in the implementation of this project should not be taken to negate the need for rapid action on REDD but rather should be used as a basis for learning and for improving future implementation.

Among the key lessons learned from NKCAP are:

A strictly project-level approach is insufficient to deliver the required emissions reductions from REDD. National level initiatives are required and any project level activities should be implemented as part of such national programs..

Conservative approaches with substantial buffering or discounting must be used to estimate emissions reductions from REDD projects.

Benefits for local communities and Indigenous Peoples must be prioritized.

It is too early to rely on carbon markets and carbon offsets as a significant source of funding for REDD.

WWF believes that delivering quality carbon emissions reductions from forests is achievable provided that REDD is developed within national level programs as part of an international framework for REDD and is implemented in phases to ensure proper institutional and technical capacity.

This will require significant and predictable flows of new and additional public funding.

WWF recommends that national capacity and baselines are adopted to ensure MRV and robust emissions reductions.

In Brazil, for example, advanced monitoring technologies are sophisticated enough to deliver reliable measures of deforestation rates. The Brazilian state of Acre has implemented a deforestation monitoring system that combines remote sensing data and property level monitoring as part of an ambitious REDD policy. As more REDD pilot projects are implemented at the local, state and national levels, the capacity for MRV will only improve.

The use of national-level REDD programs is an effective way of addressing concerns with in-country leakage and difficulties in determining additionality that are present with project-level and sub-national initiatives. Various options have been proposed to address the risk of non-permanence. These include activities that can be implemented in the country to reduce the risk of losing the forest, for example, through law enforcement, land use planning, ensuring rights of local communities and Indigenous Peoples are retained and benefit sharing.

WWF recommends that before full-scale REDD implementation can be achieved, countries need to develop national strategies, strengthen domestic institutions, pilot approaches, and build technical capacity to effectively support making REDD a reality. The funding required to meet these near-term needs will primarily come from public financing arrangements, which must be incorporated under the UNFCCC as part of the post-2012 climate change agreement. Copenhagen negotiations should also address the need for interim financing, which will be vital for the period running through 2012.

WWF: Halt to forest loss a key to stabilising climate

2009-10-19

Buenos Aires, Argentina – WWF is challenging global leaders to back an ambitious target on stopping forest loss as a major element of efforts to avert the looming climate catastrophe.

In his keynote address at the XIIIth World Forestry Congress on Monday, WWF International’s Forests Director Rodney Taylor urged participants of the Congress, including government leaders, NGOs and businesses, to support a global target of zero net deforestation by 2020.

WWF is proposing a groundbreaking global benchmark for action on forests to avoid dangerous climate change and curb biodiversity loss.

Despite conservation efforts, deforestation continues at an alarming rate – 13 million hectares per year, or 36 football fields a minute. It generates almost 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions and halting forest loss has been identified as one of the most cost-effective ways to keep the world out of the danger zone of runaway climate change.

Taylor said that zero net deforestation by 2020 is “a common target – one that sets the scale and urgency with which these threats need to be tackled to maintain the health of the planet.”

“This is an opportunity to build consensus on how the forest sector can help achieve an early peak of greenhouse gas emissions and a rapid 80 percent decline in emission levels by 2050.”

“But this is a global target, and we can only do it together.”

Taylor called the Congress timely in the lead up to the climate conference in Copenhagen this December, where rich countries have been urged to commit to cut emissions by at least 40 percent by 2020. They also need to contribute financial support of at least USD 160 billion per annum to developing countries, enabling them to deviate at least 30 percent from business as usual emissions by 2020.

In particular, governments must bolster this commitment by backing the REDD mechanism. Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD) is a mechanism to provide financial incentives on a global scale to conserve forests rather than convert them.

“Rich countries can provide funds to support developing countries in their efforts
to curb deforestation, through REDD initiatives,” Taylor said. “All governments should support the inclusion of a REDD mechanism as a credible and compensated form of
emissions reductions within a post-2012 UN climate treaty.”

Potential investors recently surveyed by WWF said they would be ready to support a REDD based forest carbon market if certainty and support were forthcoming from the international community and key national legislation.

WWF is proposing a target of “zero net deforestation by 2020 because it will consolidate efforts to halt deforestation across various international initiatives and set a global benchmark against which the success of these efforts can be measured.

“Zero net deforestation” does not mean "zero deforestation.” "Zero net deforestation" acknowledges that some forest loss could be offset by forest restoration and afforestation on degraded land. In addition, a net target leaves room for change in the configuration of the land-use mosaic, provided the net quantity, quality and carbon density of forests is maintained. However, the world´s natural forests must be conserved to maximize reduction of forest-based greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity conservation,

“The forest sector, for its part, can contribute through the conservation and
sustainable use of forests, but the foresters cannot do it alone,” Taylor said. “The integration of other sectors, particularly agriculture, energy and finance, is key for formulating sustainable land-use policies and planning processes.”

The World Forestry Congress, held only every six to seven years, brings together thousands of key decision makers and industry representatives from forest industry, including senior forestry officials, policy makers, and major industry and NGO representatives.

The WFC serves as a forum for governments, universities, civil society and the private sector to exchange views and experiences and to formulate recommendations to be implemented at the national, regional and global levels. The Congress also provides an opportunity to present an overview of the state of forests and forestry in order to discern trends, adapt policies and raise awareness among decision and policy makers, and the public.

WWF: Halt to forest loss a key to stabilising climate

2009-10-19

HP Joins WWF’s Global Forest and Trade Network

2009-10-15

WASHINGTON, DC, and PALO ALTO, Calif. – HP today announced it has joined the Global Forest & Trade Network in North America (GFTN-NA), a WWF initiative linking more than 300 companies globally that share a commitment to responsible forestry.

By becoming a member of the GFTN, HP has committed to progressively increase the amount of responsibly harvested fiber used in its paper products and sold globally. HP has set a target of 40 percent of its paper sales from Forest Stewardship Council certified or post-consumer recycled sources by 2011.

As part of meeting these goals, HP will be engaging with suppliers and informing customers of its commitment. WWF will provide technical assistance toward reaching these goals.

“For more than 50 years, HP has been a leader in environmental sustainability, delivering solutions that help customers reduce their environmental impact,” said Glen Hopkins, vice president, Global Media Business, HP. “We look forward to working closely with WWF to demonstrate the importance of responsible and sustainable forest management practices.”

Carbon emissions from deforestation and forest degradation are a main cause of climate change. Joining the GTFN is part of HP’s commitment to mitigating climate change by reducing its carbon footprint across its business operations, products and supply chain.

“Every year, more than 30 million acres of natural forest are destroyed to meet the growing demand for wood and agricultural products,” said Suzanne Apple, WWF’s vice president for Business and Industry. “With this new relationship, HP is helping to protect the world’s forests by sourcing and trading responsible forest products.”

HP sells more than 280,000 tons of paper annually, including HP Everyday Papers, small- and large-format papers, photo media and other branded media products to a global market with a concentration in North America and Europe. HP papers are sold in office supply and retail stores throughout North America, including Wal-Mart, Office Depot, Staples, Target and FedEx Office (formerly FedEx Kinko’s).

Learn more:

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HP and the environment

For decades HP has been an environmental leader, driving company stewardship through its HP Eco Solutions program, which spans product design, reuse and recycling as well as energy and resource efficiency. HP influences industry action by setting high environmental standards in its operations and supply chain, by providing practical solutions to make it easier for customers to reduce their climate impact and through its research on sustainability solutions that support a low-carbon economy. More information is available at http://www.hp.com/ecosolutions.

About World Wildlife Fund

WWF is the world’s largest conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit www.worldwildlife.org to learn more.

The Global Forest & Trade Network (GFTN) is WWF’s initiative to eliminate illegal logging and drive improvements in forest management while transforming the global marketplace into a force for saving the world’s valuable and threatened forests. First established in 1991, the GFTN is the world’s longest-running and largest forest and trade program of its kind – assisting hundreds of companies in evaluating their procurement and implementing appropriate action plans to ensure sustainable supply. By facilitating trade links between companies committed to responsible forestry, the GFTN creates market conditions that help conserve forests while providing economic and social benefits for the businesses and people that depend on them. With combined annual sales of $64 billion, trading by GFTN participants represents 16% of all forest products bought or sold internationally every year. Read more about the GFTN’s work on supporting responsible forest management and trade at www.worldwildlife.org/naftn.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC is a certification system that provides internationally recognized standards, trademark assurance and accreditation services to companies, organizations, and communities interested in responsible forestry.

About HP

HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com/.