Woody ways

A fortune teller said to me: “Tell me of the forests in your country and I will tell you your future.” I used my B in GCSE history to reply that all the forests in my country were chopped down to build ships to fight wars with the French.

There has been a notable upsurge in campaigning actions within the conference centre. Just before I was accosted by the fortune teller a large brown box was found claiming to be the EU’s package for leadership on climate change. All that could be found inside was more coal.

Deforestation is a major contributor to climate change. Deforestation is being eyed-up as a major contributor to the carbon credit market.

Proposals have been made that countries should be paid to reduce their rate of deforestation (selling carbon credits to rich country polluters could be a major source of the money). But to calculate any reduction in deforestation requires an estimate of what would have happened if the money were not given.

There are some countries with forests that are being rapidly chopped down. There are some countries with forests that actually have little chopping going on. The second set of countries might be well-placed to get chopping, so they can get the money in the future.

The fortune tellers were offering a prediction service to delegates wanting insight on the forest-futures* market.

Meanwhile indigenous groups say that all projects to tackle deforestation should get the prior informed consent of those who call forests their home.

Which to use: the appeal of home or the appeal of the market?


*Forest-futures is a trademark of Forest Trading Inc. The term 'forests' should be taken to mean all plantations of chlorophyll filled matter whether monocultures of eucalyptus, palm or jatropha or even poly-cultures of varied naturally occurring wooded and bushy elements.