Published by Fern
21 November 2000
For immediate release. Page 1 of 2.
Climate deal set to worsen forest crisis
The deal in negotiation tonight (starting at 21.00) at the COP6 climate change conference in The Hague will lead to the destruction of old-growth forests while failing to stop global warming.
Fern’s campaigners inside the conference report that the current text under negotiation will allow governments to claim carbon credits for replacing old-growth forests with large-scale tree plantations. Fern, the forest campaign group focusing on the European Union, is urging EU Member States to ensure no carbon credits can be claimed from large-scale tree plantations through the Kyoto Protocol and specifically the Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism. Currently, the deal being discussed by Ministers at COP6 includes:
No penalties for cutting down old growth forests. Natural forests are valuable carbon storages as well as centres of biodiversity and home to many forest peoples. Forest destruction currently contributes 20% of CO2 emissions and brings with it major environmental and social damage. Under the current deal this destruction and emissions-release will continue unabated for another 8 years.
Incentives for planting large-scale tree plantations. Governments will be allowed to claim carbon credits by establishing fast-growing tree plantations while not reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Local people in countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Canada and Australia, where the plantations not only take land but also destroy local livelihoods and cause a loss of biodiversity, are fighting large-scale plantations.
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If the current text is accepted countries like Indonesia and Canada could continue to destroy their native forests and replace them with large-scale tree plantations while earning carbon credits and money for the plantation schemes.
In addition, the draft text includes:
Ridiculous definition of ‘forest’. Under the COP6 definition, one single large mango tree could be considered a ‘Kyoto forest’, and so could any tree plantation. This offers no protection for forests or forest peoples.
Biodiversity and human rights ignored. The International Convention on Biological Diversity and the Draft Declaration on Indigenous Peoples Rights are not mentioned in the negotiating text.
No funds for conservation projects. The much-hoped-for funding for forest conservation projects through the Clean Development Mechanism seems more unlikely than ever in the light of the current negotiating text.
Jutta Kill, Fern's delegate in The Hague said: "The world's forests stand to suffer a big blow from the Kyoto Protocol unless major corrections are made. As the text currently stands, governments are being positively encouraged to destroy native forests and replace them with tree plantations. The EU Member States need to stand up to US intimidation and remember why they are here: to stave off global warming not to make money at the expense of the world's forests."
ENDS
For more information:
In The Hague: Jutta Kill e-mail: juttakill@hotmail.com
In the UK: Saskia Ozinga tel: 44-1608-811398 e-mail: saskia@gn.apc.org
In Brussels: Sofia Ryder tel: 32-2- 7422436 e-mail: fern@arcadis.be
Website: www.greennet.org.uk/fern/