World Falls Short on Forest Protection, Deforestation Continues to Rise
By Gloria Sarauniya Usman
ABUJA, NIGERIA June 22, 2024 -
A new report by UN-REDD reveals that only eight of the top 20 countries with the highest rates of tropical deforestation have set quantifiable targets on forests in their national climate action plans. Despite global commitments to halt deforestation by 2030, current climate pledges fall short of meeting this goal, putting the world at risk of missing the 2030 mitigation gap.
The report highlights a significant gap in forest protection, management, and restoration in current national climate action plans, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). While forests play a crucial role in achieving the Paris Agreement's climate goals, current deforestation rates continue to rise, posing significant risks to the planet and human health.
The report urges countries to enhance their NDC ambition, including concrete, measurable targets on forests, and to build on existing national environmental policies. It also emphasizes the need for predictable financial support at scale for forest-rich countries to take action.
"Climate action plans need ambitious, consistent, detailed, targeted, and actionable goals for forest conservation, restoration, and sustainable use," said Dechen Tsering, Acting Director of UNEP's Climate Division. "We cannot afford to miss the 2030 goal to halt deforestation."
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