Domesday clock of climate change ticking, says Prince of Wales
14/02/2008
Speaking to the European Parliament today, the Prince of Wales has called for a global carbon fund to protect endangered rainforest.
Each year 20 million hectares of pristine forest is lost - the size of England, Scotland and Wales. The main reason is that rainforest is worth more dead than alive - making way for cattle ranching and biofuels. The only way to prevent further destruction is to create economic incentives for keeping rainforests standing, he said.
The Prince proposed that the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme could incorporate such incentives for sustainable forestry in developing countries, by giving out carbon credits to forest nations, which they could then sell on the carbon market.
Cool Earth Director, Matthew Owen said: ‘Cool Earth welcomes the Prince's proposals to pay forest nations for the environmental services they provide. But action needs to be immediate. That's why we have been calling on the British Government to take up the offer from Guyana to pay it for safeguarding its rainforest.'
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