Julia Butterfly Hill Joins Environmental Defense In Support Of Strong Environmental Standards For Sinks

Renowned forest activist Julia Butterfly Hill joined Environmental Defense today at The Hague international climate treaty negotiations in calling for inclusion of strong environmental standards governing the inclusion of sinks (forest protection) in the implementing mechanisms of the Kyoto Protocol. The Protocol’s implementing legislation is under discussion at this week’s climate negotiations, and unacceptable proposals under discussion at the negotiations threaten to undermine the environmental credibility of the Protocol’s sinks mechanisms.

Greenhouse gas emissions from the land use sector, primarily from tropical deforestation, account for nearly one-quarter of annual, human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. Halting deforestation reduces carbon emissions. Improved land management activities, such as reforestation and conservation tillage, can capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and sequester it in terrestrial ecosystems known as sinks. Decisions at The Hague will address the inclusion of sinks in industrialized and developing countries.

“We are in an international planetary crisis, the Earth needs CPR. International agreements like the Kyoto Protocol must seek to conserve, protect and restore our natural ecosystems. It is critical that we have strong environmental standards covering all sinks activities,” said Julia Butterfly Hill.

“The burning of tropical forests accounts for nearly one-quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. Negotiators here at The Hague must protect forests and our planet’s atmosphere with strong and protective forest conservation mechanisms,” said Fred Krupp, executive director of Environmental Defense. “Strong environmental standards are a must.”

Environmental Defense and Ms. Hill believe there is an important role for land use activities in the Protocol. It is critical for negotiators to support sound rules in the Protocol and guard against ill-conceived language, which would, in fact, lead to deforestation.