Deforestation scheme under fire

THE collapse of a US$1bil (RM4.1bil) deal to curb Indonesian deforestation has highlighted the pitfalls of a United Nations-backed global initiative, which critics say has been ineffective and trampled on indigenous communities’ rights.

Protecting trees is key to meeting ambitious climate goals, with tropical rainforest loss accounting for about 8% of annual carbon dioxide emissions, according to monitoring platform Global Forest Watch.