The Norwegian government supports global efforts to reduce destruction of tropical forests. It aims to halt greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries.

Norway’s international Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) leads these efforts from the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment.  Norad manages significant parts of the funds under the climate and forest initiative on behalf of the ministry.

Alarming deforestation

Destruction of forests threatens millions of people who depend on forests for their subsistence. Many of these people are among the world’s most vulnerable.

In spite of many efforts to reduce the problem, deforestation continues at an alarming rate. 13 million hectares of forests were lost every year between 2000-2010, according to estimates by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Deforestation and forest degradation cause huge emissions of greenhouse gases. 24 per cent of total man-made greenhouse gas emissions come from forestry and agriculture, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

Deforestation is also a key factor behind the current biodiversity crisis.

The drivers of deforestation are many and vary among countries and regions. There is one common denominator. It is currently more profitable, at least in the short term, to convert a forest to other uses than to leave it as a natural ecosystem.

The awareness of the enormous value of natural ecosystems for our economy and welfare is increasing.

Norway’s International Climate and Forest Initiative

The Climate and Forest Initiative has established a series of partnerships with key forest countries.

Results-based, predictable and adequate funding streams is the main tool for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. The intention is to change the economic logic in favor of the global climate and the forests.

The Norwegian Climate and Forest Initiative has the following key objectives:

1. To ensure that the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an effective tool for reducing emissions.
2. To contribute to early actions for measurable emission reductions from deforestation and forest degradation.
3. To promote the conservation of primary forests, due to their particular importance as carbon stores and for their biological diversity.

All these efforts should promote sustainable development and the reduction of poverty.