An area of forest the size of the UK is lost every year around the world as a result of deforestation and unsuitable farming methods. The UK is committed to the change needed to reverse the damage already caused by the illegal logging trade, to protect and restore the world’s mangroves and develop programmes to bring species back from the brink of extinction.
Speaking at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York Prime Minister Boris Johnson is announcing a bold package of support to help developing countries to stop the destruction of their forests and end the extinction of rare species.
The new package will:
- protect forests and mangroves, which act as vital carbon sinks;
- create new protected areas and restore degraded ecosystems, like abandoned land, which was once home to forests, mangroves and other precious habitats;
- connect protected areas through ‘green corridors’ which allow threatened species populations to mix. These are a proven way of helping to bring species back from the brink of extinction; and
- provide poor communities with sustainable alternatives to logging, mining or unsustainable agriculture like palm oil production. This will give them an economic incentive to protect habitats and species.
“Our planet’s rich biodiversity is under threat. As we destroy the world’s forests, we drive ever more species to extinction, we erode nature’s ability to cope with climate change and we undermine the livelihoods of millions of people. The UK recognises that we are at a tipping point and that action now is both urgent and essential. Our contribution through UK aid reflects that and will help turn the tide on the environmental crisis we face,” said International Development and Environment Minister Zac Goldsmith.
This package of investment includes a £100 million investment in the new Biodiverse Landscapes Fund to slow, stop and reverse biodiversity loss in some of the world’s most valuable habitats such as forests and mangroves, which provide a vital defence against flooding and habitats species on the verge of extinction.
By 2030 the destruction of the world’s important habitat and the threat of climate change could force more than 100 million people into poverty. The UK government’s package of investment will bring together governments, scientists, companies and producers from around the world to change and improve the global approach in the run up to COP26.
Original source: DFID
Published on 23 September 2019
