Climate Change: Financing Global Forests
Economic impact of continued deforestation
The independent report commissioned by the UK Prime Minister assesses the impact of global forest loss on climate change. Forestry is responsible for a fifth of global carbon emissions - more than the entire world transport sector. The report explores the future role of forests in the international climate change framework, with particular emphasis on the role of international finance.
The report includes new modelling and analysis of the global economic impact of continued deforestation and provides a comprehensive assessment of the opportunity and capacity-building costs of addressing the problem. It shows that the benefits of halving deforestation could amount to $3.7 trillion over the long term. However, if the international community does not act, the global economic cost of climate change caused by deforestation could amount to $12 trillion.