In the first chapter of its Living Forests Report released on Wednesday, the WWF examines the drivers of deforestation and identifies the opportunities to shift from "business as usual" to a new model of sustainability, which can benefit government, business and communities.
Based on a new global analysis showing that more than 230 million hectares of forest will disappear by 2050 if no action is taken, the report proposes that policymakers and businesses unite around a goal of zero net deforestation and forest degradation (ZNDD) by 2020.
The first chapter of the report comes as business and political leaders meet this week in Jakarta, Indonesia, for the Business 4 Environment Global Summit (B4E). The conference`s opening will be addressed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday.
"The dual imperatives of ZNDD and meeting global demand for materials and energy pose both challenges and business opportunities for the forest products sector," the report states. "Forest products are renewable and, when sourced from well-managed natural forests and plantations, tend to have a lower footprint than alternatives like steel, concrete and plastic based on fossil sources."
On the first day of the conference, businesses from the forestry, mining and palm oil sectors operating in Borneo will meet as part of WWF`s Heart of Borneo Green Business Network.
At the summit, WWF will call on forestry companies to join the organization`s Global Forest and Trade Network, and also on other business sectors to support our goal in achieving certification of 75 percent of key global commodities in the region by 2020.
More than 40 percent of the islands forests are under concession to the private sector, with around 23 percent (6.0 million hectares) under management by the forestry industry.
(T.KR-VFT/HAJM/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
