A
surprise deal emerged from UN climate negotiations in Bonn, Germany,
this week: diplomats managed to reach a key agreement to compensate
developing nations that agree to preserve their forests. And
environmental and civil society groups had generally nice things to say
about the deal.Deforestation has a huge effect on climate
change. Activities like slash-and-burn agriculture account for nearly 20
percent of greenhouse gases emissions, according to the UN. Trees, of
course, also play a key role in slowing climate change by pulling CO2
out of the atmosphere.
Historically, deforestation has been an
especially vexing probably for environmentalists, raising the concern of
climate hawks and conservationists alike. This week’s agreement
straightens out some key details of an initiative — called Reducing
Emissions From Deforestation and Forest Degradation, or REDD+ — that
negotiators hope will provide developing, forest-rich countries with
incentives to slow and eventually halt logging of forested land.
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