Ban presses for support for UN initiative to combat deforestation

(December 08, 2011) The UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday called for increased support from Member States for a United Nations initiative to slow, halt and reverse deforestation, and help developing countries manage their forests in a sustainable manner. “I am encouraged to see that forest countries are acting to reduce deforestation, and that donor countries are pledging to support these activities,” Mr. Ban said at the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa. “Yet, forests continue to disappear at an alarming rate. We must do more, and with a greater sense of urgency.” The Conference is held from 28^th of November to 9^th of December with the theme, Working Together: Saving Tomorrow Today. The UN Collaborative Programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation seeks to create financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions and invest in low-carbon technologies to sustainable development. However, the Secretary-General stressed there is much work to be done to fully implement the programme. Mr. Ban emphasized private sector partnerships “are essential for implementing the United Nations agenda” and strengthening efforts in the Congo Basin and Amazon Basin regions as well in South-East Asia. Mr. Ban stressed these partnerships need to bolster local communities and smallholder farmers as well as respect the rights of indigenous people and empower women, adding that it is innovative and creative solutions that will “reduce poverty and help communities to adapt to climate change” and help create a “deforestation-free” market. In addition, the Secretary-General also urged countries to increase financing on the initiative by the end of the week. “We have entered a time of economic uncertainty, an era of fiscal austerity,” Mr. Ban said. “But I cannot stress enough how important it is for developed countries to fulfil their commitments.”