The future of our planet’s climate hinges on preservation of forests

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is not enough to reverse global warming. Ending deforestation is an equally, if not more important, objective and achieving it will involve providing direct compensation for protecting intact forests, write Tasso Azevedo and Ilona Szabó

An area of forest on fire near a logging area in the Transamazonica highway region, in the Amazonas state, in Brazil, last year; the country’s president Lula and his environment minister, Marina da Silva, have made the protection and preservation of the Amazon a priority. Picture: Edmar Barros/AP

Even before taking office in January, Brazil’s president Luiz Inácio Lula de Silva promised to end illegal deforestation in the Amazon. He also revived partnerships to amplify financing of forest protection and announced a presidential summit of Amazon Basin countries to be held in Belem in August.

Lula is determined to accelerate global co-operation to protect the world’s largest tropical forest, including by leveraging the newly capitalised Amazon Fund which is supported by Norway and Germany.