Forests Report for COP16 Cancun for Wednesday

AFTERNOON UPDATE

FORESTS REPORT CANCUN – WEDNESDAY 8 DECEMBER

from the Ecosystems Climate Alliance

REDD report for Wednesday Afternoon (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation)

OUTLOOK: Very weak language on implementation of safeguards to protect natural forests and secure the rights of Indigenous Peoples in new Chair’s text (CRP.3) released this morning. Stronger language pending but has not appeared in text.

QUOTE from Nils Hermann Ranum, Rainforest Foundation Norway: “Several countries have made proposals that would strengthen the protection of rights and natural forests, but these are not reflected in the new draft REDD agreement. We are disappointed that the Chair has failed to include them since they are critical to achieving long term reduction in deforestation.”

QUOTE from Dr. Rosalind Reeve, Global Witness: “Some countries can’t see the trees and people for the carbon. It is essential that the REDD agreement contains strong commitments to protect rights and the environment, as well as the means to monitor and ensure that these commitments are being honoured. Without these, it risks doing more harm than good.”

The Ecosystems Climate Alliance is comprised of forest and climate experts from ten NGOs committed to keeping natural terrestrial ecosystems intact and their carbon out of the atmosphere. We are available for interviews and background at the third blue table to the right of the Azteca entrance, underneath the up escalator outside Sol.

 CONTACT: Don Lehr / Cancun 998 204 1849

+1 917 304 4058 / dblehr@cs.com