[ARTICLE] Preserving forests is an essential climate solution...yet we are failing

Amazon Biodiversity Center Founder and President, Dr. Thomas Lovejoy, along with John Reid, senior economist for Nia Tero, say that "unless forests remain standing, the world will never contain global warming," in an essay published in the New York Times today.

The essay's publication coincides with the meeting this week of countries in Glasgow for the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), one of the major global negotiation processes to address climate change. The authors point out that conserving forests can be a major (and indeed a necessary) part of the needed global response to climate change. Unfortunately deforestation is accelerating world wide.

Dr. Lovejoy and Mr. Reid highlighted several key actions, including recognizing the rights of Indigenous peoples, expanding protected forests, and policies that prevent the building of roads and development of industry in intact forests. Preserving intact forests has a greater positive climate impact than planting new forests, the essay points out.

The two are co-authors of an upcoming book, "Ever Green: Saving Big Forests to Save the Planet", which will be published in March by W. W. Norton & Company.

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