Square Kilometres: Norwegian Government and Rainforest Countries

square kilometres: It is hoped it will reach 400 million by 2020 with the help of the private sector, according to Deutsche Welle. According to the World Economic Forum, agriculture is one of the biggest drivers of deforestation in Brazil. 2.3 million square kilometres of forest were cut down between 2000 and 2012. The Norwegian government will commit up to 100 million to the fund. Increasingly, agricultural production tends to favour expanding into rain forest and increasing the amount of soil available, instead of intensifying agricultural production on existing land. Forests are burned to generate new land for agriculture Crucially, the fund is expected to help rainforest countries meet their commitments under the UN's Paris Climate Agreement, the landmark deal signed in 2015 to curb global warming. Saving forests The fund will be formally set up later this year and aims to protect over five million hectares of forests and peatlands by 2020, equivalent to the size of Costa Rica. (news.financializer.com). As reported in the news.