Different Experts, Different Results

Indonesia's own deforestation measurements have been called into question. "The data on this is unclear," said Heru Prasetyo, chief Indonesia's REDD+ Management Agency (BP REDD+), which is in charge of managing US$1 billion in deforestation-slowing programs.

Two years ago at the Doha Climate Change Conference, Indonesia claimed its annual deforestation rate was 450,000 hectares. Meanwhile representatives of Brazil, home to the Amazon rainforest, said its annual rate was 480,000 hectares. With the transparency measures it had adopted during the previous 13 years, Brazil drew a more positive response from the attendees. "They invited NGOs to join them in measuring their forests and in publishing their results on websites," Heru said.

November 18, 2014