Beam me to Planet Gore !
Posted on 11/21/2008 9:44:20 AM PST by calcowgirl
Three US governors join forces with Indonesia and Brazil to keep carbon locked up in endangered tropical forests
Though it didn't seems to make an enormous splash in the press, the deal reached this week between three US states, Indonesia and Brazil seems like a fairly big deal in terms of rainforest protection.
The agreement was brokered at the climate summit convened by California's ecosavvy governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Along with fellow governors from Illinois and Wisconsin, Schwarzenegger signed an agreement that could see carbon credits earned from forest protection in Indonesia or Brazil incorporated into US emissions trading schemes.
Partly, this is significant simply because there haven't been very many large-scale international efforts to protect the world's dwindling rainforests – despite the huge climate change impact of tropical deforestation. The Brits and Norway have launched a big project in the Congo basin, but there are few other examples. (One looked promising last year when Guyana offered to hand over the protection of its forests to the British government, but that has so far come to nothing.)
Mainly, though, this deal is significant because it's the first time – or at least the first I'm aware of – that carbon credits earned by protecting existing forests could be incorporated into large-scale emissions trading schemes. It means, in the simplest possible terms, that Indonesian or Brazilian forestry schemes will be able to get funded by American companies who want to produce carbon dioxide.
This could be the first step towards forest-protection carbon credits – known as REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) – becoming tradeable in forthcoming US-wide climate laws and even the follow-up to the Kyoto protocol. It's exactly the kind of thing envisaged in the UK government's recent Eliasch Review.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
If you follow the link (to Bloomberg) about the deal, it says that California has pledged financial aid to curb logging in Indonesia and Brazil and that the agreement they signed somehow becomes part of California's 2006 climate change law.
-—and some of us thought financial derivatives were a scam-—
Our Constitution strictly forbids states from entering into any agreements with foreign countries.
Where are the fed’s in this land of laws? Clearly, our government respects no laws - why should we any longer.
As it is now, the rainforest is carbon neutral. It rots as fast as it grows.
When I was checking out Ron Paul, I was especially struck by one thing he says. When he votes, the first thing he asks is what does the constitution say about this bill. Who else have you heard say anything like that? Maybe Bork and Scalia, but no legislators or executives.
For anyone who ever doubted that the governor of CA is a wacko, this should erase all doubt.
Wacko totally...
Now maybe Ahnuld can ship the illegal aliens there...
These enviro-fascists dont reaiize they harm the local economy...and make those already in poverty suffer a lot more...most of the rainforest clearing is to grow crops
http://www.wkowtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=9384454&nav=menu1362_2
(snip)
World leaders signing the joint declaration agreed to pursue collaborative action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create opportunities to grow green economies.
The declaration will help advance efforts being undertaken by national governments for the next global agreement on climate change.
“We must continue to boldly pursue climate change strategies that spur innovation and unleash the entrepreneurial spirit of Wisconsin,” Governor Doyle said. “This historic global agreement and President-Elect Obama’s leadership will bring the United States into the world on this issue. By working together with global partners, we will develop climate change strategies that will save us money, create jobs, help secure our world and improve our air and water.”
The agreement signatories resolved to act quickly to address the impacts of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions in high-impact sectors, advance mutually-beneficial actions such as technology transfer and best-practice sharing, and pursue mitigation and adaptation strategies.
In addition, the climate agreement promises to increase investments and grow economies based on technology and research focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change.
Finally, the agreement pledges to foster greater climate change information exchange to build a stronger academic knowledge base, and accelerate the development of climate change monitoring and reporting programs.
In addition, yesterday Governor Doyle signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between U.S. and foreign states focused on reducing the climate impact of deforestation.
The MOU was signed by the states of California, Illinois, and Wisconsin and four Brazilian states and two Indonesian provinces.
Collectively, the six international states and provinces contain over half of the world’s tropical rainforests.
The MOU - the first of its kind - represents a commitment to sharing best practices and forging a relationship to ensure forests are sustainably managed by sharing research and information regarding ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by: preserving and restoring forests, promoting reforestation, and improving forest management practices.
The MOU also commits to jointly develop a plan to verify and include forestry projects that improve carbon sequestration in U.S. cap and trading systems under development and develop a Joint Action Plan by early 2009 to monitor progress.
How much of an “economy” can we maintain without the use of carbon based resources, especially petroleum??? (including nuclear)
The government respects no laws..why should we????
The short and simple answer is that there are consequences if you do not, while there are no consequences if they do not.
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