WWF WELCOMES AUSTRALIA’S COMMITMENT TO FOREST PARTNERSHIP AT COP27

WWF-Australia has welcomed Australia’s commitment to a new global partnership to halt deforestation and tackle climate change with forest solutions.

Australia has become a founding member of the Forests and Climate Leaders Partnership, which was launched today at COP27 in Egypt to accelerate the contribution of forests to global climate action.

The new partnership will also focus on stepping up global efforts to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.

“It’s great to see the Australian Government acknowledging that we need to better manage our forests to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement,” said WWF-Australia conservation scientist Dr Stuart Blanch.

“There are 22 billion tonnes of carbon stored in Australia’s forests. They are one of our greatest assets in terms of cutting carbon pollution."

“Australia has shown global leadership on forests today. We need to follow this up with a national plan to end major deforestation and native forest logging."

“This could cut Australia’s emissions by an extra 10% by 2030 and will be key to achieving a net zero by 2050 goal."

“Australia has made great strides in the last decade to increase the area that is being actively reforested, but we’re still failing to halt forest loss."

“Each year we lose approximately 600,000 hectares of mature and regrowth forests and woodlands to deforestation. We cannot allow this to continue."

“We’re still the only developed nation identified as a global deforestation hotspot by WWF International. We need a pathway off this list and out of a half century of major land clearing."

“The Forests and Climate Leaders Partnership has formed at a critical time. Efforts to protect and restore our forests help stabilise climate, and benefit people and nature. Action to deliver these win-wins has never been needed more than right now.”