Amazonian forest degradation must be incorporated into the COP26 agenda

Nations will reaffirm their commitment to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26; www.ukcop26.org), in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021. Revision of the national commitments will play a key role in defining the future of Earth’s climate. In past conferences, the main target of Amazonian nations was to reduce emissions resulting from land-use change and land management by committing to decrease deforestation rates, a well-known and efficient strategy1,2. However, human-induced forest degradation caused by fires, selective logging, and edge effects can also result in large carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions1,2,3,4,5, which are not yet explicitly reported by Amazonian countries. Despite its considerable impact, forest degradation has been largely overlooked in previous policy discussions5. It is vital that forest degradation is considered in the upcoming COP26 discussions and incorporated into future commitments to reduce GHG emissions.

SILVA JUNIOR Celso H. L.;  CARVALHO Nathália S.;  PESSÔA Ana C. M.;  REIS João B. C.;  PONTES-LOPES Aline;  DOBLAS Juan;  HEINRICH Viola;  CAMPANHARO Wesley;  ALENCAR Ane;  SILVA Camila;  MONTENEGRO LAPOLA David;  ARMENTERAS Dolors;  MATRICARDI Eraldo A. T.;  BERENGUER Erika;  CASSOL Henrique Luis Godinho;  NUMATA Izaya;  HOUSE Joanna I.;  FERREIRA Joyce;  BARLOW Jos;  GATTI Luciana;  BRANDO Paulo;  FEARNSIDE Philip M.;  SAATCHI Sassan;  SILVA Sonaira;  SITCH Stephen;  AGUIAR Ana P.;  SILVA Carlos A.;  VANCUTSEM Christelle;  ACHARD Frederic;  BEUCHLE Rene';  SHIMABUKURO Yosio;  ANDERSON Liana O.;  ARAGAO Luiz; 

2021-09-09

NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

JRC125095

1752-0894 (online),   

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-021-00823-z,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC125095,   

10.1038/s41561-021-00823-z (online),