First promise ‘Glasgow’ a fact: an end to deforestation by 2030

More than 100 world leaders pledged to end deforestation by 2030 at the Glasgow Climate Summit. They also want to protect and restore forests. This makes the first big promise of this summit a fact.

To combat deforestation, approximately 16.5 billion euros is being released from public and private funds. Some of it is used to restore damaged areas of forest, fight wildfires and provide support to indigenous peoples.

About 85 percent of all forests in the world are located in the more than one hundred countries. Brazil is also among the signatories, where large parts of the Amazon have been cleared in recent years. Countries such as Indonesia, Russia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Netherlands also support the agreement.

‘Deal is milestone’

British Prime Minister Johnson, host of the climate conference, calls the deal “a milestone to protect and restore the Earth’s forests”. The aim of the summit is to see how the world can limit global warming to “well below two degrees”, and preferably below 1.5 degrees, as agreed at the Paris climate summit six years ago.

It is already clear that the climate goals that countries have drawn up are not sufficient at the moment and that something needs to be added. In Glasgow it’s about the question how that gap can be closed and who will pay for it.

The first day of the climate summit, which is officially called COP26, was mainly dominated by speeches from various world leaders. For example, Prime Minister Johnson wanted less “blah, blah, blah” and more action. Prime Minister Rutte called the current situation serious. He also called for serious measures.

Watch the calls from Prime Minister Rutte, the British Queen Elizabeth and climate activist Greta Thunberg here:

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