A pledge to halt and reverse deforestation around the world turned into one of the biggest, flashiest announcements at last month's UN climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland. By the time UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson took the stage to make the case for forests — "these great, teeming ecosystems, trillion-pillared cathedrals of nature" — 110 countries had signed up. Since then, the total has grown to 141.
Supporters of the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use include Brazil, Indonesia, Russia, and most nations of Africa. Together, they control 90 percent of the world's forests. They are pledging to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030.
But as Johnson hustled out of the room, an indigenous activist from Chad named Hindou Ibrahim took the podium to sound a note of skepticism.
"Some governments and companies, including in this room, are responsible for deforestation and land-stealing in many areas," she said.
Beautiful speeches are worthless without action, Ibrahim said. She told them that she will be waiting to see what governments and private companies actually accomplish in the coming year, before the next big next big climate meeting.
Most nations are promising to end deforestation, but skeptics want proof
Supporters of the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use include Brazil, Indonesia, Russia, and most nations of Africa. Together, they control 90 percent of the world's forests. They are pledging to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030.
But as Johnson hustled out of the room, an indigenous activist from Chad named Hindou Ibrahim took the podium to sound a note of skepticism.
"Some governments and companies, including in this room, are responsible for deforestation and land-stealing in many areas," she said.
Beautiful speeches are worthless without action, Ibrahim said. She told them that she will be waiting to see what governments and private companies actually accomplish in the coming year, before the next big next big climate meeting.
Most nations are promising to end deforestation, but skeptics want proof