Saving rainforests a thorny issue at Bali talks
(Reuters) Protecting tropical rainforests proving a real headache at UN climate conference.
Protecting tropical rainforests, which soak up vast amounts of greenhouse gases, is proving a real headache at UN-led climate talks in Bali, where delegates are trying to sort out a pay-and-preserve scheme.
Scientists say deforestation in the tropics is responsible for about 20 percent of all man-made carbon dioxide emissions blamed for global warming.
Halting the destruction, or at least curbing the clearing and burning of remaining tropical forests, is widely regarded as a crucial part of any new climate pact.
Under a scheme called Reduced Emissions from Deforestation in Developing Countries (REDD), developing nations could earn billions of dollars through carbon trading by simply leaving forests such as in the Amazon and Congo basins.
Originally published 5 Dec 2007
