Saving our forests will reduce global warming

Each year, about 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions come from the destruction of forests, more than from all the planes, trains and automobiles in the world. Yet we continue to destroy our world’s forests at an alarming rate, a total of 37 million acres each year, or an area roughly the size of Georgia.

There is no denying that our climate is changing. Regardless of what portion is human-caused or what portion is natural, we should all be working to resolve this global issue. While much of the debate on stopping climate change has focused on curbing emissions from industry and transportation, forest protection is one of the most powerful and cost-effective solutions we can do right now to reduce global carbon emissions.

The proof is in the science.

Bolivia is home to the first conservation program in the world scientifically proven to lower carbon emissions and fight climate change by protecting standing forests. In 1997, The Nature Conservancy joined forces with the Bolivian government, local conservationists and three international energy companies to buy out logging concessions threatening to destroy 1.5 million acres of tropical forest, a vital wildlife habitat and a source of livelihood for the local communities.

The forests were incorporated into the Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, stopping the release of more than 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. During the next 20 years, the project is expected to prevent the emission of 5.8 million tons of carbon, the equivalent of removing more than

1 million cars from America’s highways for an entire year.

Forest projects like this one also have the potential to generate valuable credits from the carbon stored in the preserved trees. Those credits could achieve the same carbon emission reductions as other approaches like installing new technologies or retrofitting power plants, but in many cases at a fraction of the cost.

While Congress deliberates the merits of a climate change bill, the Nature Conservancy is holding forums around the country, bringing together conservation, energy and corporate interests to explore forest protection as an economically sound solution to reducing the amount of climate-changing carbon released into the atmosphere.

The most recent forum was held this month at Georgia Power’s headquarters in Atlanta. Leaders from Georgia Power, Interface Inc., American Electric Power, John Deere and other businesses discussed how corporations could cost-effectively meet proposed limits in industrial emissions by supporting programs that reduce emissions from forest destruction.

Right now, U.S. businesses have a unique chance to take the lead in fighting a significant part of the climate change problem without putting the burden on American consumers. I emphasize “right now,” because, given the alarming rate of global deforestation, this opportunity will not be available forever.

Shelly Lakly is state director for the Nature Conservancy in Georgia.