A global promise to end deforestation by 2030 is 10 years too late, according to a Green party member of the Scottish Government.
More than 100 world leaders have signed an agreement at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow to end and reverse the destruction of crucial forest cover.
The countries who signed the pledge cover around 85% of the world’s forests, including those with some of the world’s largest forests, such as Brazil, Canada and Indonesia.
The agreement involves £14billion of public funds to restore damaged land, tackle wildfires and support indigenous communities all over the world.
Governments from 28 countries also commited to removing deforestation from the global trade of food and agriculture, such as the use of palm oil, soya and cocoa, which all drive forest loss.
More than 30 of the world’s biggest companies will pledge to end investment in activities linked to deforestation.
There will also be a £1.1 billion fund to protect the Congo Basin, the world’s second largest tropical rainforest.
Pledge is decade too late
Mr Harvie, recently installed as a minister in the SNP-Green government, says the agreement should have been reached 10 years ago.
He said: “It’s, very welcome that this is on the agenda and it recognises deforestation as one of the phenomenally powerful drivers of climate change, and undermines other actions.
“But to wait another decade to start to reverse deforestation is complacent at best.
“It is very clear we need to pay the countries that look after rainforests.
“So instead of turning them into forests they are financially rewarded for the economic loss, but we must also recognise the economic value of rainforests.”
He also says there is a lot of work to do to sustainably increase forest cover here in Scotland as well.
Agreement welcomed by the prime minister
The plans for the deforestation agreement today have been welcomed by others.
Boris Johnson said the deal is a “landmark agreement” as it will help protect and restore the earth’s forests.
After the deal was signed Mr Johnson said: “Let’s end this great chainsaw massacre by making conservation do what we know it can do, and that is deliver long-term sustainable jobs and growth as well.
“Today is not just a vital win in the struggle to contain global temperature increases, it is also a huge economic opportunity.
“This is the long-term sustainable path to maintaining to ending the loss of our forests, protecting our sacred biodiversity and helping to keep alive the ambition of 1.5 degrees by the end of the century.
UK Environment Secretary George Eustice also called it “an important breakthrough”.
He added: “Had you spoken to me five days ago I also would have been apprehensive about whether we would have landed this agreement on forests, but we have and it’s looking really encouraging.
“This is a big breakthrough.”