Apparently deforestation accounts for nearly 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, a larger source of emissions than all the world's cars, trucks, ships, and airplanes combined. This is a startling fact which most of us seem to be hardly aware of.
Saving our forests suddenly becomes top priority.
I quote from an article at
Tropical Rainforest Conservation - mongabay.com
A recent declaration issued by political leaders meeting at the G8 summit in L’Aquila, Italy, included a strong statement on the need to include forest conservation in a future climate agreement.
Leaders said they would support efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) by combatting illegal logging, addressing drivers of deforestation, and promoting "conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks."
The following is the section of the declaration related to REDD:
Aware that deforestation accounts for approximately 20% of annual CO2 emissions, and that forests are an essential repository of biological diversity and key to the livelihoods and rights of many people, we remain engaged in seeking the reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and in further promoting sustainable forest management globally. We will: - a) support the development of positive incentives in particular for developing countries to promote emission reductions through actions to reduce deforestation and forest degradation. Considering that these measures will provide tangible results only in the medium term, it is also crucial to undertake early action initiatives to urgently tackle drivers of deforestation, and we will cooperate to identify innovative instruments in this respect, including through initiatives such as UN programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF) and the Informal Working Group on Interim Finance for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (IWG-IFR);
- b) continue to support efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, including the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks, as set out in the Bali Action Plan. We continue to support REDD and will consider the inclusion of financial mechanisms within the future global agreement on climate change;
Some environmentalists are concerned that "sustainable forest management" under the proposed "REDD Plus" approach will enable logging of old-growth forests. - c) encourage cooperation and the use of synergies between the UNFCCC and other international forest-related processes, and promote national strategies developed in collaboration with relevant players, including governments, indigenous peoples and local communities, civil society groups and the private sector;
- d) enhance cooperation with partner countries to combat illegal logging and trade in illegally-harvested timber, in accordance with our obligations under international agreements and building on our previous commitments and actions, including those under the Forest Law Enforcement and Governance (FLEG) processes. We reaffirm our intention to promote transparent timber markets and trade in legal and sustainably produced timber. In that regard, we will follow up, where appropriate, with concrete actions on the preliminary list of options presented in 2008 by the G8 Forest Experts Report on Illegal Logging;
- e) reinforce international cooperation and information sharing for sustainable forest management, including use of forest resources, prevention and management of forest fires and monitoring of pests and diseases
The above issue raises a simple question. What can I as an individual do to save our forests and our precious wildlife.
What the individual can do
NGOs promote the role of the ordinary individual in conservation efforts.
Purchasing and consumption
Things you can do to help save rainforests
Don't buy products made from wildlife skins
Don't buy exotic pets that have been collected from the wild. You can ask pet stores whether animals are "wild-caught" or "captive bred." "Captive-bred" animals are more friendly for the environment
Buy recycled paper.
Don't buy wood products from Indonesia, Malaysia, Brazil, or Africa unless you know they come from eco-friendly suppliers. A good way to know if wood is rainforest-safe is if it has a "certification label." An example of a certification label is "FSC-certified," which means the wood comes from sustainably managed forests. Learn more about rainforests and the plants and animals that live in them. Tell others why rainforests are important. People in developed countries stimulate the unsustainable harvesting of tropical timbers by demanding such wood products. Try to buy wood products that come from sustainably managed stocks (having a legitimate seal of approval) or non-rainforest woods.
Though not as much of a problem now, in the 1980s people in developed countries may have contributed indirectly to rainforest destruction by demanding cheap beef products (the "U.S.-Central American connection") and livestock feed (the "Europe-Southeast Asia connection") in the form of cassava grown on former forest lands. Be ecologically aware when you purchase products.
Support sustainably harvested forest products like nuts and natural dyes and the organizations that provide these goods. Without consumer demand, these products will not be supplied.
Always try to reduce power and water usage. Much of the electricity we use is fueled by the combustion of fossil fuels which add to global warming. Recycle and reuse as many materials as possible.
Information
Many conservation and consumer groups maintain that lack of information is one of the greatest hindrances to eco-friendly consumption. Stay informed and be aware of newly threatened areas and new developments in conservation methods, along with campaigns against forest destroyers. Numerous resources exist on the internet and in print.
Travel
If you have the ability to travel abroad, practice eco-tourism and support only environmentally friendly travel in areas that are environmentally sensitive. Just because a tour is advertised as "eco-tourism" it does not mean that it is environmentally sound. Ask around and try to find those operators who are legitimate. When traveling, try to be a responsible tourist and respect local customs.
Discourage the killing of endangered animals and rainforest species by refusing to buy products made up of or containing such parts. Gently remind locals that it is illegal to kill such animals and say that you would rather see the colorful macaws flying in the sky than having their feathers on your souvenir.
Action
Write to your government representatives and let them know how your feel about environmental issues. Express your concern for the future of tropical rainforests.
Join a biodiversity conservation group or rainforest organization and support campaigns and boycotts against companies responsible for reckless deforestation. If you resolve never to purchase goods from one of these firms, the company loses tens of thousands of dollars of potential revenue over the course of a life time.
The above material has been sourced entirely from
Tropical Rainforest Conservation - mongabay.com