STATEMENT - MINISTER PRENTICE HIGHLIGHTS PROGRESS MADE TO PROTECT THE WORLD'S
FORESTS

NAGOYA, Japan, Oct. 26 /CNW/ - Canada's Environment Minister, the Honourable Jim Prentice, today issued the following statement following his participation in the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) Ministerial meeting in Nagoya, Japan:

"I am pleased to report that excellent progress was made at this meeting to protect the world's forests and I look forward to continuing these important discussions at COP16 in Cancun.

"Deforestation and forest degradation in tropical countries represent up to 17% of global human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and incentives to reduce these emissions have the potential to have the largest and most immediate impact on global greenhouse gas emissions in the short term.

"Canada is a world leader in sustainable forest management and this Government understands the important role that forests and forest management can play in addressing climate change. As such, our Government believes that efforts to improve sustainable land management, both to reduce emissions and to enhance carbon removals, should be a key component of a post-2012 climate change agreement.

"Recently we announced our contributing efforts to reduce deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries through our fast-start financing commitments. Canada's investment of $40 million to the World Bank's Forest Carbon Partnership Facility Readiness Fund will support the building of national capacity to address deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries and is essential to laying the groundwork for ambitious global action on REDD."

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For further information:

Pascale Boulay Press Secretary Office of the Minister of the Environment 819-997-1441	Media Relations Environment Canada 819-934-8008 1-888-908-8008
Canada's Environment Minister Twitter page:      http://twitter.com/jimprentice	Environment Canada's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/environmentcan