Reaction to Poland’s “Forests for Climate” Declaration
The Polish presidency of COP24 has published the Ministerial Katowice Forests for Climate Declaration. Nature4Climate encourages all Parties to take action to conserve and enhance sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases, especially primary forests and intact ecosystems. It is vital for all countries to adopt a broad range of natural climate solutions including, and additional to, protecting standing forests. These can include planting trees and supporting sustainable forestry always working within the local landscapes and carried out with appropriate safeguards for local communities and the environment.
We must also wait and see that new commitments like the Forests for Climate Declaration are more than pronouncements, that they deliver on the ground and are included in Parties NDC enhancement.
Forest carbon policies could deliver cost effectively emissions reductions equivalent to closing more than 1,700 coal fired power stations. However, this is in addition to action to decarbonise other sectors such as energy, transport, industry or agriculture. The recent IPCC 1.5 degree report is clear that natural climate solutions are required if Poland and the rest of the world are to avoid dangerous climate change.
Notes:
- The NCS PNAS 2017 paper:Forest-related pathways (i.e. avoided deforestation, reforestation and sustainable forestry) could cost-effectively remove 7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually by 2030.
- EPA calculator: 7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide annually is equivalent 1,700 coal fired power stations.