Introduction
Forests cover 26% of our world’s surface and contribute to storing 20% of our world’s carbon. With 37 billion tones of Green House Gas (GHG) emitted this year alone and rising, our world’s forests, the lungs of the planet are struggling. Through continued deforestation, fires, and timber usage for fuel, we are losing more and more of our capacity to halt Climate Change.
Last year we lost 13 million hectares of natural forests to agricultural uses. Much of the deforestation is due to the planting of palm oil for bio-fuel, and to feed an ever increasing global population. Timber for commercial use accounted for sales of US270 billion last year and estimates of illegal logging accounted for another US10-16 billion. We must act now, in any capacity we have at our disposal to stop these unsustainable practices.
UNEP/GRID-Arendal, Woodfuel and energy consumption, UNEP/GRID-Arendal Maps and Graphics Library, http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/woodfuel_and_energy_consumption
(Accessed 21 September 2008)
