Destruction of forests is a significant contributor to climate change. Preserving forests helps mitigate global warming. These two facts explain why halting deforestation is a central part of much of the current negotiations on climate change, with an international binding forest climate agreement, or REDD+, forming a key part of discussions. Yet, such an agreement, even if well-designed, cannot by itself save the forests. Without reducing greenhouse gas emissions by between 85 and 95 percent by 2050, many forests, along with many other ecosystems, will be lost.
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