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Rainforest regeneration
One of the most depressing sections in George Monbiot's book Heat was about the dire impact on rainforest of the switch to biofuels. The European Union has made it a mandatory target that 20% of its fuel will be bio by (I think) 2010. This has created a vast market for biofuel crops that has in turn triggered bio crop growers to cut down vast swathes of forest.
On the plus side, a $350 million deal - the largest ever - has just been signed for the regeneration of 100,000 hectares of rainforest in Colombia. According to Gunther Pauli, who is behind the deal, "the project inaugurates a post-conflict era for Colombia with the creation of 12,000 jobs, and homes for 50,000 people. Over the next four years (2008 to 2011), the newly created venture, Marandua SA, will oversee the planting of an estimated 86 million trees".
The unique feature of the deal is that the Colombian Air force will relinquish the rights to two thirds of its military bases in the Vichada in order to allow the creation of this ecological and social development project. The planting of Caribbean pine, palm, rubber and cashew - all native species - will generate urgently needed food and jobs for the country.
More information (ask for the full press release): info@zeri.org
Posted by John Thackara at February 3, 2007 07:30 AM
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