Global News - June 2008

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Asian nations urged to halt destruction of forests

Mon 23 June 2008 17:00 UK — Asia,Other

Officials from the UN have said that Asian governments should try to do more to curb deforestation and protect rare animals.

Reuters reported that UN officials urged Asian leaders to agree to a plan to stop deforestation by 2020. They said that the move would help halt the loss of flora and fauna in the region.

Ahmed Djoghlaf, executive director of UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), reportedly told a news conference that 80 per cent of the world's biodiversity could be found in forests, making their conservation vital.

According to the news agency, he added: "The project to stop deforestation by 2020 is feasible, it's doable."

Currently, only two nations from south-east Asia, Cambodia and Vietnam, have signed up to a plan to stop the destruction of forests by 2020.

Earlier this month, Mr Djoghlaf said: "Forests are at the heart of the some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time, and they must be part of the solution.

"In particular, threats to forest biodiversity arising from illegal land conversion, forest fires, habitat fragmentation, and invasive alien species should be more fervently addressed. Sustainable management and the ecosystem approach are cornerstones of these efforts."

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