10
Feb 2009 - Zeist, the Netherlands - Global
payments for ecological services rendered
by the Amazon such as the carbon retaining
in its forests could go a long way to preserving
them, a new study has found.
Keeping the Amazon forests
standing: a matter of values, carried by
the Copernicus Institute of the University
of Utrecht on behalf of WWF, valued the
avoided emissions from deforestation or
degradation over large areas of the Amazon
at between 55 and 78 euro per hectare per
year.
These include erosion
protection (up to 185 euro per hectare per
year) , pollination services by rainforest
insects (38 euro/$49 USD) per hectare per
year in Ecuadorian coffee plantations),
forest products such as honey, fruits and
mushrooms (40-80 euro) and ecotourism (2.5
-5.5 Euro).
This compares to the
returns from the production of commodities
as beef and soya, the main Amazonian products
imported by Europe. Soya generates 230 to
470 euro per hectare annually and cattle
breeding adds up 40 to 115 euro per hectare
per year
While the the major
areas of Brazilian soya production are outside
the Amazon, the economic interest for this
commodity is adding to pressure in the region.
The WWF report shows
that the revenue currently received from
economic activities in which the natural
environment remains intact is not high enough
to offset the non-sustainable activities,
but finding mechanisms to secure global
payments for the forest's ecological services
would be a major impetus to both preserving
the forest and paying for and providing
for proper management.
The key emerging likely
mechanism as the world tackles climate change
is the s so-called REDD mechanism (Reduced
Emissions from Deforestation and forest
Degradation) where industrialised countries
would pay for forest preservation and the
combating of CO2 emissions in tropical countries.
The plans for this mechanism
allow for large money flows to become available
for sustainable forest management, which
will also benefit local communities such
as the native population of the Amazon region.
Johan van de Gronden,
General Manager of WWF-Netherlands, comments:
“REDD is not the only mechanism for the
realisation of sustainable forest management,
but certainly the one that is the most promising.’’
WWF Brazil emphasised
the importance of tackling issues at the
receiving end of any REDD mechanism, such
as the lack of clarity concerning land ownership,
the illegal occupation of land and the illegal
land market.
“National and international
companies should also play a role of leadership,
selecting their suppliers and cleaning and
decarbonizing their productive chains thus
participating actively of the sustainable
development of the Amazon”, said Denise
Hamú, CEO of WWF-Brazil.
As the fourth-largest
trade partner of Brazil, the Netherlands
is a major contributor to the destruction
of the rainforests. For example, the country
is the largest importer of soya in the world
after China.
“Humans are very dependent
on the services provided by the Amazon region
that are disappearing rapidly but for which
we are not paying as yet: rain for agriculture,
clean drinking water, pure air and the combating
of global warming,” said Van de Gronden:
“Especially because of its large contribution
to the Brazilian economy, the Netherlands
can play a leading role in stimulating a
sustainable economic development of the
Amazon region by choosing to import sustainable
produced goods – such as FSC-certified timber-
only.’’
