On the weekend of December 12th, there was a world-wide weekend of rallies and vigils to call for a real climate deal in Copenhagen. See 350.org for more information. 350ppm is the amount of carbon dioxide that scientists tell us we need to return to in the atmosphere to prevent dangerous temperature rises.  As of today, 350 was no longer officially on the negotiating table in Copenhagen.  As the delegation from Stanford said, there is an idea at the summit that we can survive with 450ppm in the atmosphere but there is no science that tells us that will be a survivable level, especially at the rate we are losing trees.  To get back to 350ppm with reforestation and other natural methods, and just leveling off of emissions, would take over 200 years, they said.  REDD was also discussed earlier today by several panels which you can find at the COP15 webcast site.

Deforestation is a big priority at Copenhagen and countries are struggling to save the last remaining segments of rainforest they have left.  Nigeria is desperate to save their last rainforest and losing the battle unless they have help from richer countries.  Unfortunately it’s a situation that has boiled down to countries needing money to not cut them down.

At this point, cutting down trees should probably be an act that is fined, per tree cut down. Our planet’s lungs (the rainforest) cannot be considered  optional.  Today, UN head climate negotiator Todd Stern said the U.S. is in favor of a global climate fund for poorer countries, for mitigation and re-forestration, etc.  That’s good news.  And more on deforestation:

“Over the weekend, environmentalists howled as short-term targets were stripped from a forest plan at the U.N. climate talks over complaints that rich nations weren’t offering developing countries financing.

In the latest draft of the forest plan, the short-term targets are back, with the caveat that any bold action would have to be backed up by financing.

In the latest text, delegates are given two options: either they can go for general language calling on all parties to reduce emissions and halt deforestation or language calling for reducing deforestation 50 percent by 2020 and ending it by 2030 as long as financing is provided.

The text also includes tougher environmental and social safeguards, including language lessening the chance that forests would be converted into plantations and protections for indigenous groups who fear their land would be stolen under the program which will be known as REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation).

Destruction of forests, the burning or cutting of trees to clear land for plantations or cattle ranches, is thought to account for about 20 percent of all global emissions. That’s as much carbon dioxide as all the world’s cars, trucks, trains, planes and ships combined.
[So let's put a cost on the cutting down of trees!]

REDD would be financed either by richer nations’ taxpayers or by [...]