The Challenges -- and Future -- of REDD
By Manish Bapna Published March 10, 2010
To combat global warming, forests must be part of the solution. How can we make good forest stewardship a reality?
The year 2010 is a crucial year for forests. In March, major donor countries and forest-rich countries will meet in Paris, Nairobi and Manila, each grappling with the same question: How can efforts to reduce deforestation also help tackle climate change? Their decisions, and those following in the next six to 12 months, could channel substantial amounts of money to protect forests.
Manish Bapna, managing director of the World Resources Institute, answers questions about the current window of opportunity to address both forest loss and climate change, and what is at stake in getting these mechanisms right.
Why are forests important in efforts to tackle climate change?
Forests are one of the greatest environmental challenges -- and opportunities -- facing the world in the 21st century. Forests are well known for their ability to absorb carbon dioxide, but when they are destroyed they release CO2 into the air. This helps explain why Indonesia, a developing country with high rates of deforestation, now has one of the highest emissions rates in the world.
