UN figures on the 'state of the world's forests' are misleading, inaccurate and understate the real extent of deforestation and damage to forests globally
RAINFOREST FOUNDATION
PRESS RELEASE
14th November 2005: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW UNITED NATIONS FIGURES FOR GLOBAL DEFORESTATION ARE 'BAD SCIENCE' AND CONCEAL FULL HUMAN IMPACT ON WORLD'S FORESTS
The Rainforest Foundation today claimed that new figures released today by the United Nations on the 'state of the world's forests' are misleading, inaccurate and understate the real extent of deforestation and damage to forests globally. [1]
The new UN figures purport to show that the rate of "net forest loss is slowing down, thanks to new planting and natural expansion of existing forests". [2]
However, analysis by the Rainforest Foundation indicates that there are major methodological flaws in the UN's report, especially that:
* the UN figure for 'net' deforestation is grossly misleading, as it conceals the fact that most deforestation is taking place in the world's tropical rainforests, whereas most of the reforestation and natural re-growth of forests is taking place in the northern hemisphere, and much of this consists of plantations rather than forests.
* the UN figure is based on a definition of forest as being an area with as little as 10% actual tree cover, which would therefore include areas that are actually savannah-like ecosystems and badly damaged forests;
* areas of land that presently have no trees on them at all, but that are 'expected' to regenerate, are also counted as forests;
* the UN includes in its data for existing areas of forest those that are covered by industrial tree plantations, which are actually lacking some of the key functions of true forests;
These flaws are analysed in detail in a new Rainforest Foundation report, entitled 'Irrational Numbers: Why the FAO's Forest Assessments are M isleading", which is published today to coincide with the release of the new UN figures [3]. Simon Counsell, of the Rainforest Foundation, said: "It is a global disgrace that, after decades of concern about the world's declining forests, the United Nations still can't even produce an accurate assessment of how much forest is actually left. The new Forest Resources Assessment repeats the bad science of previous assessments, which have been widely criticised, and obscures the real extent of deforestation. The United Nations should scrap this latest report, should make a firm commitment to revising the methods by which it assesses and reports on the state of the world's forests, and should then set out an urgent plan as to how global deforestation can be halted."
ENDS
For further information:
Simon Counsell, Rainforest Foundation T (office): +44 (0) 207 251 6345 T (Cell): +44 (0)7941 899 579 simonc@rainforestuk.com
Notes to editors:
[1] The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation - the agency which has lead responsibility for forests within the UN system - today launched its 'Global Forest Resource Assessment' for 2005. Similar reports have been produced since 1948.
[2] The press release issued by the FAO today claims that "The annual net loss of forest area between 2000 and 2005 was 7.3 million hectares/year... down from an estimated 8.9 million hectares/year between 1990 and 2000" (http://www.fao.org/forestry/foris/webview/forestry2/index.jsp?siteId=101&sitetreeId=1191&langId=1&geoId=0)
[3] A copy of 'Irrational Numbers' is available for download free from:
http://www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/fcpage.php?fcpage=1237&language=EN
Deforestation continues at an alarming rate
14 November 2005, Rome – Each year about 13 million hectares of the world’s forests are lost due to deforestation, but the rate of net forest loss is slowing down, thanks to new planting and natural expansion of existing forests, FAO announced today.
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2005/1000127/index.html
Twenty percent of the world's mangroves lost over the last 25 years: Rate of deforestation slowing, but still a cause for alarm
9 November 2005, Rome - Around 20 percent of the world's mangrove forests have disappeared during the past 25 years as a result of over-exploitation and conversion to other uses, according to a new FAO study.
http://www.fao.org/forestry/newsroom/en/news/2005/highlight_108389en.html
From ECOTERRA Intl.
PRESS RELEASE
14th November 2005: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW UNITED NATIONS FIGURES FOR GLOBAL DEFORESTATION ARE 'BAD SCIENCE' AND CONCEAL FULL HUMAN IMPACT ON WORLD'S FORESTS
The Rainforest Foundation today claimed that new figures released today by the United Nations on the 'state of the world's forests' are misleading, inaccurate and understate the real extent of deforestation and damage to forests globally. [1]
The new UN figures purport to show that the rate of "net forest loss is slowing down, thanks to new planting and natural expansion of existing forests". [2]
However, analysis by the Rainforest Foundation indicates that there are major methodological flaws in the UN's report, especially that:
* the UN figure for 'net' deforestation is grossly misleading, as it conceals the fact that most deforestation is taking place in the world's tropical rainforests, whereas most of the reforestation and natural re-growth of forests is taking place in the northern hemisphere, and much of this consists of plantations rather than forests.
* the UN figure is based on a definition of forest as being an area with as little as 10% actual tree cover, which would therefore include areas that are actually savannah-like ecosystems and badly damaged forests;
* areas of land that presently have no trees on them at all, but that are 'expected' to regenerate, are also counted as forests;
* the UN includes in its data for existing areas of forest those that are covered by industrial tree plantations, which are actually lacking some of the key functions of true forests;
These flaws are analysed in detail in a new Rainforest Foundation report, entitled 'Irrational Numbers: Why the FAO's Forest Assessments are M isleading", which is published today to coincide with the release of the new UN figures [3]. Simon Counsell, of the Rainforest Foundation, said: "It is a global disgrace that, after decades of concern about the world's declining forests, the United Nations still can't even produce an accurate assessment of how much forest is actually left. The new Forest Resources Assessment repeats the bad science of previous assessments, which have been widely criticised, and obscures the real extent of deforestation. The United Nations should scrap this latest report, should make a firm commitment to revising the methods by which it assesses and reports on the state of the world's forests, and should then set out an urgent plan as to how global deforestation can be halted."
ENDS
For further information:
Simon Counsell, Rainforest Foundation T (office): +44 (0) 207 251 6345 T (Cell): +44 (0)7941 899 579 simonc@rainforestuk.com
Notes to editors:
[1] The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation - the agency which has lead responsibility for forests within the UN system - today launched its 'Global Forest Resource Assessment' for 2005. Similar reports have been produced since 1948.
[2] The press release issued by the FAO today claims that "The annual net loss of forest area between 2000 and 2005 was 7.3 million hectares/year... down from an estimated 8.9 million hectares/year between 1990 and 2000" (http://www.fao.org/forestry/foris/webview/forestry2/index.jsp?siteId=101&sitetreeId=1191&langId=1&geoId=0)
[3] A copy of 'Irrational Numbers' is available for download free from:
http://www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/fcpage.php?fcpage=1237&language=EN
Deforestation continues at an alarming rate
14 November 2005, Rome – Each year about 13 million hectares of the world’s forests are lost due to deforestation, but the rate of net forest loss is slowing down, thanks to new planting and natural expansion of existing forests, FAO announced today.
http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/news/2005/1000127/index.html
Twenty percent of the world's mangroves lost over the last 25 years: Rate of deforestation slowing, but still a cause for alarm
9 November 2005, Rome - Around 20 percent of the world's mangrove forests have disappeared during the past 25 years as a result of over-exploitation and conversion to other uses, according to a new FAO study.
http://www.fao.org/forestry/newsroom/en/news/2005/highlight_108389en.html
From ECOTERRA Intl.
Starmail - 15. Nov, 11:08
