Much attention is being placed upon “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation” (REDD) [search] — which advocates carbon payments for avoided deforestation. Ecological Internet and its predecessors have long advocated international payments to rainforest rich countries to offset opportunity costs associated with protecting rainforests [search] and limiting their use to community based eco-developments based upon standing forests.

However the approach is not without risk. Our primary concern is that carbon payments will support industrial first time selective logging of primary rainforests [search], based on the misconception this substantially protects these ancient rainforest’s carbon stores (and biodiversity). Such diminishment in fact permanently destroys carbon storage potential, is only slightly better ecologically than outright deforestation, and as such primary forest logging is unworthy of avoided deforestation payments. To be effective continued ancient forest logging must not be allowed anywhere in countries receiving international monies to protect their rainforests for climate benefits.