Financing Tropical Forest Preservation

摘要

In their review "climate change, defor-estation, and the fate of the Amazon" (11 January, p. 169), Y. Malhi et al. advocate international incentives to reduce tropical deforestation and limit climate change through programs that they admit will require extensive time and effort to develop. But while seeking these kinds of long-term solutions to reduce fossil fuel dependence and global carbon emissions, we need stopgap remedies that require limited technological advances, will not jeopardize developing economies, and have a high chance of success. Although many promote limitation of tropical deforestation as critical to alleviating climate change (1), the relative importance of tropical versus boreal forests as carbon sinks remains uncertain (2). Preserving tropical forests may curb net carbon emissions and protect substantial amounts of global biodiversity. However, the capacity of developing nations to manage tropical forests appears limited in terms of current administrative infrastructure, technical knowledge, and political or economic stability.