Argentina and Paraguay make forest pledge

Argentina and Paraguay have made a historic pledge to save one of the world's most threatened forests. The two governments have agreed to work towards zero net deforestation in the Atlantic Forest, and to implement a package of measures that include national legislation to enforce those commitments. The Atlantic Forest initially spanned 500,000 square kms, shared between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. However, only 7.4 per cent of the forest is left today � or about 35,000 square kilometers, making it one of the most threatened and fragment subtropical forests in the world. To preserve the Atlantic Forest, Argentina will implement new land-use plans that will ensure the conservation of approximately 1.1 million hectares of the forest. Meanwhile, Paraguay has extended the country's zero deforestation law to 2013, and is working to introduce economic alternatives to people who depend on the Atlantic Forest for their livelihood. In Brazil, the government already has established a zero deforestation target by 2010 for the Atlantic Forest. Brazil also has pledged to establish protected areas covering at least 10 per cent of the forest.