At the moment, destroying forests is still more profitable to the global market than retaining them for the climate and biodiversity.
REDD (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) offers real hope for the people of PNG who urgently need an alternative to the corruption, human rights abuse and environmental devastation that has come with decades of industrial logging.
Essentially, REDD could work if developed industrial countries like Australia pay countries like PNG to retain their forests intact rather than destroy them.
But instead of taking a leading role for the good of its people and its forests, the PNG Government is being motivated by short-term greed.
Sam Moko, Greenpeace’s Forests Campaigner from PNG is in Nagoya, Japan to launch the report. This morning Sam also presented the Government of PNG with a ‘Golden Chainsaw’ award for demanding unconditional REDD money despite continuing to destroy rainforests. He said:
“The Government of PNG is attempting to get its hands on billions of dollars of international REDD funding. But instead of protecting rainforests at home, they are corruptly approving widespread logging and denying the rights of indigenous peoplewho own the land.”
The new report, ‘PNG: Not Ready for REDD’ recommends that PNG only receives REDD funding when it places a moratorium on all logging and deforestation. Donor countries should also ensure strict preconditions are placed on REDD funding for PNG including safeguards for biodiversity and indigenous and landowners rights and ending the corruption and illegal logging.
“REDD presents a real opportunity for PNG. If the Government and the international community can support us and our forests by taking on the recommendations in this report, REDD could be a positive step forward for our forests and for the climate,” said Moko.
