News

12.04.2019

Endorsment of the Forest Pledge directed at the European Parliament

Climate Alliance supports the call to future Members of the European Parliament asking them to promote policies to protect and restore forests worldwide and recognise and secure forest peoples’ territories and their rights, including the rights of women, for generations to come.

Together with FERN, an organisation, that stand up for the protection of forests and their inhabitants, and more than 40 NGOs, forest experts and defenders the Climate Alliance asks future Members of the European Parliament to promote policies to protect and restore forests worldwide an.

In 2016 and 2017 more tropical trees have been lost than in any year before. Only in Brazil a loss of 4.5 million hectare forest area was recorded in 2017, this corresponds to 12 football fields every minute. The main reason for the loss is deforestation, where the space is used for agricultural purposes and the exploitation of natural resources like crude oil. The EU also contributes to this development through its high demand for wood, palm oil, soya, pork, paper, cacao and other economic goods. Between 1990 and 2008 the EU was the largest importer of deforestation in the form of crop and animal products. However, not only in South America, but also in Europa forests are getting destroyed, among other things because of the rising use of wood for energy production.

Forests have multiple functions for the environment and our society. They provide food, water, medicine as well as protection and in doing so they contribute to maintaining natural cycles and preserve biodiversity. Their role as carbon sink gives them a crucial part in stabilising the world climate.

The forest pledge demands concrete actions for the protection of the forests on a global scale as well as the recognition and protection of forest peoples’ territories and rights. The safeguarding of land titles and maintenance of rainforests is an active contribution for the protection of indigenous rights and the global climate. Numbers prove it: around 80% of the most biodiverse areas on earth are inhabited by indigenous people and 30% of the carbon stored in Amazonia lies within indigenous territories.

Despite this, even though 25 resolutions have been adopted during the 4th United Nations Environment Assembly that took place in March, the resolution on deforestation had to be withdrawn – largely also because of strong objections risen by states such as Brazil and Indonesia.

Further Information

Contact: Silke Lunnebach, s.lunnebach(at)climatealliance.org