RAINFORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE

That this House notes the alarming rise in deforestation rates in the Amazon rainforest over recent months; further notes that deforestation already accounts for 20 per cent. of global carbon dioxide emissions each year and that curbing deforestation is one of the single most effective ways of halting catastrophic climate change; welcomes new EU targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent. by 2020, but recognises that any reductions could be entirely negated by increased rates of deforestation; and therefore calls on the Government to lead an international coalition to take up the offer from the President of Guyana, Bharrat Jagdeo, to place his country's entire 50 million acre rainforest estate under the protection of multi-national trust, in return for development aid.