Bolivia muat not be ignored. At COP 15 and COP16, Bolivia was the only state seriously addressing THE URGENCY OF climate change; It is also unconscionable that, at COP17, there is also an attempt to undermine Bolivia by raising concerns about an internal dispute (Joan Russow, @joanRussow)
Any comprehensive solution to climate change will have to take account of forests, which trap and store carbon dioxide. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, forests trap 1-trillion tons of carbon - twice the amount in the atmosphere.
Bolivia's chief negotiator, Rene Orellana, said his country was worried about proposals to use private sector markets to fund forest conservation, as this did not take account of the multiple functions forests provide.
These include livelihoods for local communities, as well as biodiversity, food security and access to water resources.
Current climate policy seeks to preserve forests through a mechanism known as REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation).
But Mr Orellana said existing REDD policy only takes account of the carbon storage provided by forests and neglects the role of local communities.
Bolivia's proposal, if accepted, would see forest preservation funded by governments and global funds to tackle climate change. Mr Orellana said voluntary private sector funds would also be acceptable if they were in the form of corporate social investment and not from carbon markets, which do not reduce absolute carbon dioxide emissions. Read the full report here.
Source: Joan Russow, Peace, Earth & Justice News.
