Media Advisory
3 March, 2009
For immediate release
Frances Seymour, director general of the Center for International Forestry Research, will be in London on March 9 to address a parliamentary meeting on climate change organised by the Overseas Development Institute. This is an outstanding opportunity to interview a leading global authority on REDD (reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation), an issue at the cutting edge of the global warming debate.
As the world gears up for the final round of negotiations for the post-Kyoto climate change agreement at COP 15 in Copenhagen in December, attention is becoming ever more focused on forests and their contribution to climate stability. Research indicates that deforestation is responsible for up to one fifth of annual global greenhouse gas emissions – more than the entire transport sector. In addition there is growing evidence that the remaining forests are soaking up greater quantities of carbon from the atmosphere than was previously understood. Yet the pace of forest destruction continues unabated. REDD offers a potential solution.
The Copenhagen agreement represents an extraordinary opportunity for resources to be channeled into forest conservation to mitigate climate change. Investment in sustainable forest management could help protect biodiversity and improve local livelihoods as well. But will REDD payments from wealthy countries to poorer nations be effective in reducing forest loss and associated emissions? Can forests be protected without adversely affecting the rights and incomes of indigenous peoples and local communities?
Frances Seymour is a sought after speaker on forests and climate change and has made numerous media appearances on networks as diverse as ABC Radio National (Australia) and Voice of America. She has also been quoted in, among others, The Irish Times, The New York Times and The Financial Times. You can view a video clip of her talking about REDD here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb9tQ2KfLVs
She will be available for interview in London March 9, 9am to 10.30am, and 2.30 pm to 4.30pm. Telephone interviews available on other dates.
If you would like to arrange an interview with Frances, please contact James Clarke on j.clarke@cgiar.org or call him on +62 8121 947 1060 (mob), +62 251 862 2622 ext 510
Notes for Editors
Frances Seymour will be speaking at Forests in a Future Climate Regime with Johan Eliasch, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Deforestation and Clean Energy. The event is organised by the Overseas Development Institute www.odi.org.uk
Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
CIFOR advances human wellbeing, environmental conservation and equity by conducting research to inform policies and practices that affect forests in developing counties. CIFOR helps ensure that decision-making that affects forests is based on solid science and principles of good governance, and reflects the perspectives of developing countries and forest-dependent people. CIFOR is one of 15 centres within the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. For more information, please visit:www2.cifor.org.
Frances Seymour
https://www2.cifor.org/Publications/Corporate/
NewsOnline/NewsOnline41/frances_seymour.htm