The Norwegian government made a pledge with Germany and the UK back in 2014, at the UN Climate Summit in New York, that they would “promote national commitments that encourage deforestation-free supply chains, including through public procurement policies to sustainably source commodities such as palm oil, soy, beef and timber.”
So far, Norway is the only country to do something towards this pledge that’s drastic enough to make a difference. They have become the first country in the world to ban deforestation. The Norwegian Parliament pledged that the government’s public procurement policy will be deforestation-free. By becoming the first country in the world to make such a large-scale move against deforestation, Norway is setting an example for other countries to consider similar policies.
Nils Hermann Ranum head of policy and campaign at Rainforest Foundation Norway said:
“Until now, this has not been matched by similar commitments from governments. Thus, it is highly positive that the Norwegian state is now following suit and making the same demands when it comes to public procurements. Other countries should follow Norway’s leadership, and adopt similar zero deforestation commitments. In particular, Germany and the UK must act, following their joint statement at the UN Climate Summit.”
Norway’s action plan also includes a request from parliament that the government exercise due care for the protection of biodiversity in its investments through Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global. Because of this, any product that contributes to deforestation will not be used in the Scandinavian country. Their act of banning deforestation from the supply chain only continues the country’s longstanding history of protecting the world’s vital forests.
This is wonderful news because beef, palm oil, soy and wood products in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Papua New Guinea were responsible for 40 percent of deforestation between 2000 and 2011. Those seven countries were also responsible for 44 percent of carbon emissions, according to Climate Action reports. By stopping the purchase of these products on a large scale, it also stops this atrocity on our planet from happening in the first place.
To further counteract this, Norway has invested large sums of money to stop deforestation in Brazil, Liberia, and Indonesia. For example, in 2008 Norway gave Brazil $1 billion to help fight deforestation against the Amazon rainforest. The investment paid off. By 2015 the South American country had saved more than 33,000 square miles of forest and kept 3.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
Ranum said:
“This is an important victory in the fight to protect the rainforest. Over the last few years, a number of companies have committed to cease the procurement of goods that can be linked to destruction of the rainforest. Until now, this has not been matched by similar commitments from governments. Thus, it is highly positive that the Norwegian state is now following suit and making the same demands when it comes to public procurements.”
The partnership was praised by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon:
“The partnership between Brazil and Norway through the Amazon Fund shows intensified support for one of most impressive climate change mitigation actions of the past decades. This is an outstanding example of the kind of international collaboration we need to ensure the future sustainability of our planet.”
The Norwegian government also announced a $250 million commitment to protect Guyana’s forest, giving them the money over a four-year period from 2011 to 2015.
Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Guyana’s minister of foreign affairs, said:
“Our country is at a stage where our population is no less materialistic [than industrialized countries] and no less wanting to improve their lives. We want to continue our development, but we can’t do that without a form of payment.”
So Norway paid.
That’s not all! Norway doesn’t just focus on South American forests. The country is also hard at work in Africa and other regions of the planet. Liberia, with the help of Norway, became the first nation in Africa to stop cutting down trees in return for aid, reported the BBC. The deal involves Norway paying the West African country $150 million through 2020 to stop deforestation. The country agreed to place 30 percent or more of its forests under protection by 2020.
Jens Frolich Holte, a political adviser to the Norwegian government, said:
“We hope Liberia will be able to cut emissions and reduce poverty at the same time.”
The biggest driver of deforestation is agriculture. Farmers often rid their land of trees to make room for livestock using a process known as slash and burn agriculture. When farmers clear their forests and burn them the carbon in the trees releases carbon dioxide, one of the biggest contributors to climate change. On top of that, removal of trees can disrupt the water cycle of the region, resulting in changes in precipitation and river flow, and contribute to erosion. Norway is massively helping stop all of this from happening with their generous contributions worldwide.
The world’s rainforests could completely vanish within 100 years at the current rate of deforestation. Eighty percent of the world’s land animals and plants live in forests. Most of these species can’t survive if they experience loss of habitat. Furthermore, trees play a critical role in absorbing greenhouse gases and other pollutant particulates that impact air quality and the environment. If more countries don’t follow Norway’s lead, we are all in big trouble.
