Rain forests are fast depleting from the face of our planet courtesy deforestation from illegal logging and clearing forests for plantation. The problem in curbing deforestation is directly linked to the livelihood of the local community whether in Asia, Africa or South America. Unless an alternative livelihood is arranged for the poor population in these regions, any efforts of putting a hold on deforestation will not work.
In last December’s Climate Change Conference in Bali, a possible solution to the problem has emerged. It has been proposed to start an international negotiation by which countries plagued with destruction of their rain forests would be rewarded in their efforts in preventing further deforestation with monetary reward from a fund directly financed by the world’s rich countries. These countries will also be granted ‘carbon credits’ that they could trade with the rich countries. This new initiative known as Reducing Emissions and Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) is expected to save the remnant tropical rain forests and would curtail the rapid pace of global warming.
However, the million-dollar question that remains is, will this method work? The negotiators are offering a trade-off between money and deforestation. No government in the world legally supports deforestation. Most of the destructions are carried out by illegal woodcutters or by cattle grazers. It remains to be seen how these people stand to gain from the monetary reward.
Given the scale of corruption in these countries, it is not expectable that the money will be used by the governments in building alternative livelihood for these people. Huge demand for plantation products, most of which form a part of the export pie of these countries would not allow governments in these countries to discourage growth of plantation crops. Another troubling aspect of the REDD’s effort is the concept of ‘carbon credit’, that is simply the price the rich nations will pay to the poor nations to stop further carbon dioxide emissions while they themselves will legalize their own increased emission.
Source: MSNBC
Image: Wild Madagascar
