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Forest related climate mitigation bearing fruit: UNEP

Xinhua, May 24, 2016 Adjust font size:

Rapid investments in reforestation programs across the developing world have drastically reduced emission of gases that are responsible for global warming, UNEP officials said on Tuesday.

The Paris climate deal adopted by UN member states in December last year roots for massive investments in reforestation programs in developing countries to reduce carbon emissions.

Jacqueline McGlade, UNEP Chief Scientist, said that donors pledged an additional 5 billion U.S. dollars towards restoration of forested landscapes in the global south for the next five years.

She hailed the profound impact of forest ecosystem in responding to adverse effects of climate change.

"Forest related climate change mitigation, if intensified, can contribute to drastic reduction in negative consequences of a warming earth," said McGlade at the sidelines of the ongoing second edition of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2) in Nairobi.

She noted that authoritative scientific evidence indicates that forests could help tap 9 million gigatons of carbon annually, hence their critical role in building resilience of communities in the face of climate change.

"Countries must expand the forest cover through smart investments and policy incentives. Regeneration of degraded forest landscapes should be an imperative going forward," McGlade remarked.

The UN contends that forests occupy one third of total land mass globally. At the same time, 3.3 million hectares of forest have been lost globally due to human encroachment and climate induced vagaries.

The international community has pledged new financing to restore 350 million hectares of forests by 2030.

Multilateral agencies, national governments and corporations pledged additional funding towards reducing emission from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) projects during the Paris climate summit.

Tim Christopherson, a senior program officer with UNEP/REDD, said the international community has endorsed a more flexible and robust funding mechanism towards reforestation.

"So far, 10 billion dollars have been invested in REDD projects globally with realization this initiative can be a catalyst for green transformation," said Christopherson. Endti