Topic: indonesia

The representatives of more than 100 countries attending December’s U.N. climate conference in Bali, Indonesia, finally focused on the important role tropical forests play in global warming.

Trends to Watch is WRI’s annual forecast of emerging issues that will have major impacts on environmental coverage in 2008. On climate change: what will happen between COP-13 in Bali, and COP-14 in Poznan? What role will China play? Will we see new legislation and regulations from Congress or the EPA? Where will biofuels and technology go? Where will the water come from? WRI President Jonathan Lash makes his predictions at the National Press Club.

The choice of Bali as the location for the 2007 U.N. climate conference, currently underway, is significant because Indonesia is home to the world’s third largest remaining intact tropical forest (following only Brazil and the Democratic Republic of Congo). This makes it crucial in the fight against global warming.

At this year’s conference, there has been much focus on offsetting carbon emissions by preventing deforestation – a concept known as “avoided deforestation” or Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD).