forests have to be saved

In India, in some states like Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Karnataka, collective and individual efforts were made for forest conservation and they were also successful. But the reasons due to which the indiscriminate felling of forests continues, they have not been eradicated. This is the big problem regarding forest conservation.

In the United Nations Climate Conference held in Glasgow, the participating countries have resolved to stop the indiscriminate deforestation of forests by 2030 to deal with the increase in global temperature. For this, one hundred and five countries have also signed an agreement. Significantly, there were open discussions on promoting sustainable development and inclusive rural transformation. But from what has been seen so far, the question arises whether the lax and irresponsible attitude of the developed countries will continue as before or should they consider changing their thinking on the better living of the forest and the common man in the interest of the environment. will do?

The discussions on deforestation and rural inclusive development and the agreements reached to tackle the growing problem of greenhouse gases are important because the agreement includes Brazil, Indonesia and Congo, which are responsible for the world’s wildlife-rich tropical forests. are home. Significantly, one of the most important causes of climate change is the deforestation of forests after the use of fossil fuels. According to The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), fundamentally the world’s forests cannot be saved by a political manifesto. Forest protection and sustainable forest management have to be presented as an economic solution to the people who depend on forests for their income and livelihood.

The speed of indiscriminate deforestation of forests can also be understood from the concerns of the United Nations. According to the United Nations, since 1990, an area of ​​42 million hectares (1 billion acres) of forest has been destroyed. The main reason for this was said to be the expansion of agriculture in view of the increasing demand for food grains. Significantly, in 2014, the United Nations announced an agreement to cut deforestation in half by 2020 and stop it completely by 2030. After this, in 2017 another target was set to increase the forest cover by three percent by 2030. But despite this agreement, no one took any step regarding the indiscriminate felling of forests.

According to one figure, the average area of ​​forest is being destroyed every decade. Between 1990 and 2000, while seventy-eight lakh hectares of forest area was destroyed, in the decade 2000-2010, fifty-two lakh hectares of forest were cleared. Similarly, between 2010 and 2020, forests of an area of ​​​​forty seven lakh hectares were destroyed. Between the years 2002 and 2020, the forest of the maximum area of ​​20 million six million hectares was destroyed in Brazil. Ninety-seven million hectares of forest in Indonesia were cleared forever. Thirty-three million hectares of forest were destroyed in the small country of Congo. Similarly, the South American country of Bolivia has been affected by forest development spread over three million hectares of land.

The reason for the indiscriminate felling of forests is not only the expansion of agricultural area, but mining activities are also a big reason. Significantly, one of the major reasons behind deforestation is the expansion of agricultural activities, as the demand for food needs for the growing population is increasing rapidly. Deforestation for the production of commodities such as soybeans and palm oil is increasing at an alarming rate. Therefore the question is bound to arise that the Glasgow Convention has given special attention to stopping deforestation, but is it possible to stop deforestation without addressing the reasons for which forests are being cut?

Will the governments of all other countries, including Brazil and Indonesia, where there has been indiscriminate deforestation, will be able to honestly set the standards of forest and wildlife protection? Fundraising is a big issue for the Glasgow agreement to stop deforestation. Only nineteen billion dollars have come in now. The Coalition of Rainforest Nations, representing the fifty forested tropical countries in climate negotiations, estimates that it will take an additional $100 billion each year over the next decade to maintain the agreement. That means more money is needed now.

Actually, no such movement has arisen in the world regarding deforestation, which compels the common people and governments to stop deforestation. Zonal movements were launched from time to time to stop deforestation in only a few countries of the world including India. In India, in some states like Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Karnataka, collective and individual efforts were made for forest conservation and they were also successful. But the reasons due to which the indiscriminate felling of forests continues, they have not been eradicated. This is the big problem regarding forest conservation. It has to be understood that forests are an important natural resource for developing countries.

Deforestation is not only reducing the forest land, but biological diversity is also gradually ending. The danger of extinction of important flora, medicines and fauna is increasing rapidly. The agreement reached in Glasgow on deforestation, similar to the agreement signed by the forty countries that signed the New York Declaration in 2014. According to this, the deforestation of forests was to be stopped by 50 percent by 2020. But this was not implemented. The Indonesian President’s statement on the agreement reached at the Glasgow Conference said that the ongoing development in the name of carbon emissions or deforestation should not be stopped. Certainly such statements will not help in curbing deforestation and will undermine the collective will shown in the manifesto.

By signing this declaration, India has shown that it is not only committed to stop deforestation, but also has an honest thinking about the protection of the forest area. But that’s not going to be the point. Due to the rapid extinction of flora in India, it does not seem that the central government will be able to ensure their strong protection even through some laws. Significantly, the issue of deforestation and the disappearance of wildlife and flora associated with it is not a common thing.

It is an issue related to biological diversity, drug security, wildlife protection, protection of environment and culture. Therefore, to save the forests, all those countries including India must immediately take such concrete steps so that the environment, biodiversity, drug security and safety of animals can be ensured at all costs. While this will help in finding solutions to the dangerous problems increasing due to carbon emissions and climate change, it will also protect the people living on the basis of forests. The need is that the more vigorously the governments take steps for forest protection at the world level, the more responsible citizens will have to come forward. Only then will the world be saved.