Prince's rainforest fund
gets US backing
21st November 2009
Reacting to the news that the US has become the first country to pledge money to a short term fund to protect tropical rainforests which has been backed by the Prince of Wales, Greenpeace Executive Director John Sauven told Eco:
"We all rely on the world's tropical rainforests for food and rainfall, and to store vast amounts of our carbon emissions each year. Paying a relatively small amount to protect them is an absolute bargain, because without them the very basis for our economy could collapse and the climate would become increasingly hostile.
"The US Government has today promised a substantial amount of money for forest protection, and now there is real pressure on the British government to do the same. The longer we delay the more our international reputation for environmental leadership is put at risk."
At a ceremony at Clarence House in London this morning, US Ambassador Louis Susman read out a letter from chair of the US Senate Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, Senator Patrick Leahy, in which he pledged to contribute $275m to a forest protection fund in 2010.
UK energy and environment secretary Ed Miliband failed to put a figure on any UK government contribution, but hinted that the Government may make an announcement at or around the UN Copenhagen conference in December.
st fund
gets US backing
21st November 2009
Reacting to the news that the US has become the first country to pledge money to a short term fund to protect tropical rainforests which has been backed by the Prince of Wales, Greenpeace Executive Director John Sauven told Eco:
"We all rely on the world's tropical rainforests for food and rainfall, and to store vast amounts of our carbon emissions each year. Paying a relatively small amount to protect them is an absolute bargain, because without them the very basis for our economy could collapse and the climate would become increasingly hostile.
"The US Government has today promised a substantial amount of money for forest protection, and now there is real pressure on the British government to do the same. The longer we delay the more our international reputation for environmental leadership is put at risk."
At a ceremony at Clarence House in London this morning, US Ambassador Louis Susman read out a letter from chair of the US Senate Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, Senator Patrick Leahy, in which he pledged to contribute $275m to a forest protection fund in 2010.
UK energy and environment secretary Ed Miliband failed to put a figure on any UK government contribution, but hinted that the Government may make an announcement at or around the UN Copenhagen conference in December.