Among the signers are countries such as Brazil,Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo,which have struggled with deforestation for decades. The nonprofit World Resources Institute calculates forests absorb roughly 30 per cent of carbon dioxide emissions.
The deforestation announcement is not part of theformal COP26 negotiations,but reflects the efforts of the UK hosts of the climate talks to use the moment to drive forward a range of initiatives to help tackle climate change through side deals to the talks. Other signers of the pact are expected to be Australia,Canada,Colombia,Russia,and Norway.
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson has made his mantra for action on “coal,cars,cash and trees” central to the Glasgow talks.
The British government’s determination to secure significant side deals is widely seen as part of an effort to ensure that COP26 can succeed in advancing efforts to control climate change even if world leaders gathered here do not commit to the headline emission reductions.
Those reductions are part of the 2015 Paris agreement targets of keeping warming to well below two degrees.
The plan to reverse deforestation is expected to include a commitment of $US12 billion ($16 billion) in public funds from 12 countries between 2021 and 2025 to protect and restore forests,as well as $US7.2 billion of newly mobilised private investment.