COP26: Over 100 global leaders pledge to end deforestation by 2030
- Declaration backed by Brazil, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which have 85 per cent of world’s forests
- 2030 a date too far away for campaigners who want action sooner to save the planet’s lungs
More than 100 global leaders have pledged to halt and reverse deforestation and land degradation by the end of the decade, underpinned by US$19 billion in public and private funds to invest in protecting and restoring forests.
The joint statement at the COP26 climate talks in Glasgow on Monday was backed by the leaders of countries including Brazil, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which collectively account for 85 per cent of the world’s forests.
The Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forest and Land Use will cover forests totalling more than 33 million square km, according to a statement from the UK prime minister’s office on behalf of the leaders.
“We will have a chance to end humanity’s long history as nature’s conqueror, and instead become its custodian,” said British leader Boris Johnson, calling it an unprecedented agreement.
04:13
‘Time for action,’ Britain’s Queen Elizabeth tells COP26 climate change summit
