At COP26, more than 100 leaders pledge to stop deforestation by 2030

Published on : 11/02/2021 – 01:26

More than a hundred world leaders, including the United States, China, Australia or France, pledged on Monday 1^er November evening to stop deforestation, restore forests and end land degradation by the end of the decade, with an investment of 19.2 billion dollars (16.5 billion euros) including public and private funds to protect forests. A set of initiatives are to be launched on Tuesday to help achieve this goal.

According to the joint statement released at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, released by the services of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, host of the UN climate conference, the commitment made by world leaders concerns more than 13 million square kilometers of forests.

This joint declaration was adopted by more than one hundred countries sheltering 85% of the world’s forests, including the boreal forest of Canada, the Amazon rainforest in Brazil and the tropical forest of the Congo Basin.

The initiative is essential to achieve the goal of limiting global warming to + 1.5 ° C, according to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Forests “are essential to our very survival,” he must say on Tuesday. Yet they are retreating at the “alarming rate” of 27 football pitches every minute.

With this “unprecedented” commitment, which will make it possible in particular to restore degraded lands, fight against fires and support indigenous communities, “we will have the chance to end the long history of a conquering humanity of nature to become its guardian. “, according to Boris Johnson.

“We call on all countries to support sustainable development pathways that strengthen the livelihoods of communities, especially indigenous people, women and smallholders,” said Indonesian President Joko Widodo, whose country is covered with vast forests.

Goals too distant

As part of the deal, twelve countries, including the UK, have pledged $ 12 billion (€ 10.3 billion) in public funds by 2025 to help developing countries restore land and fight forest fires. At least $ 8 billion (€ 6.9 billion) is expected to come from more than 30 private sector investors, including Aviva, Schroders and AXA.

But for NGOs like Greenpeace, the 2030 target is far too far back in time and thus gives the green light to “another decade of deforestation”.

“The indigenous peoples demand that 80% of the Amazon rainforest be protected by 2025 and they are right, this is what must be done,” insisted Carolina Pasquali, head of Greenpeace in Brazil.

While welcoming the announcements, Tuntiak Katan, Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin (Coica), said how the funds are actually spent will be closely monitored.

258,000 square kilometers of forest disappeared in 2020

According to the World Resources Institute (WRI), forests absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide emissions, helping to prevent global warming.

But this natural protection against global warming is disappearing at an increasing rate. Some 258,000 square kilometers of forest – an area larger than the UK – were lost in 2020, according to an initiative by WRI to monitor deforestation.

The agreement announced Monday is in line with that made by 40 countries in New York in 2014, with however greater commitments and the announcement of resources to achieve the goal.

With AFP and Reuters