The Scientists’ Letter on the Copenhagen Commitment for Tropical Forests

Scientists advocate for the U.S. to provide $1 billion for REDD+ to protect tropical forests, citing their role in carbon storage and biodiversity.

• The clearing and degradation of tropical forests are significant drivers of global warming, accounting for approximately 15% of all anthropogenic carbon emissions.
• Tropical forests serve as a critical carbon sink, containing half of the carbon stored in all terrestrial vegetation.
• Reducing emissions from deforestation (REDD+) is presented as a highly cost-effective and immediate climate solution; an investment of $20 billion could reduce emissions by 500 million tons by 2020.
• The scientists request that the U.S. fulfill its Copenhagen pledge of $1 billion for REDD+ between 2010 and 2012, specifically asking for at least $400 million in the FY 2011 appropriations.
• The requested funding is intended to help developing countries build capacity for monitoring and measuring deforestation-related pollution and to provide incentives for larger future emissions reductions.
• The authors emphasize that the funding must be 'new and additional' as per the Copenhagen Accord, meaning it cannot be diverted from existing conservation or biodiversity programs.
• Beyond climate mitigation, protecting tropical forests is essential for preserving biodiversity, as over 50% of all species reside in these forests and are threatened by deforestation.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2010). The Scientists’ Letter on the Copenhagen Commitment for Tropical Forests. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/02/ScientistsLetterOnTropicalForests%255B1%255D.pdf

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. The Scientists’ Letter on the Copenhagen Commitment for Tropical Forests. 2010. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/02/ScientistsLetterOnTropicalForests%255B1%255D.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=The Scientists’ Letter on the Copenhagen Commitment for Tropical Forests |date=April 2010 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/02/ScientistsLetterOnTropicalForests%255B1%255D.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{unionofconcernedscientists2010scientists, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{The Scientists’ Letter on the Copenhagen Commitment for Tropical Forests}}, publisher = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2010}, month = apr, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/attach/2018/02/ScientistsLetterOnTropicalForests%255B1%255D.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }