Norway becomes first country to ban deforestation

By Farida Fawzy, CNN
Updated 6:10 AM EDT, Thu June 9, 2016
Nicknamed the Cowboy Frog, this tiny amphibian was thought to be new to science when discovered in Suriname, South America.
Rainforest treasures under threat —
Nicknamed the Cowboy Frog, this tiny amphibian was thought to be new to science when discovered in Suriname, South America.
The jaguar is one of the endangered species to be found in Amazonia - this one is pictured in a Brazilian reserve.
Rainforest treasures under threat —
The jaguar is one of the endangered species to be found in Amazonia - this one is pictured in a Brazilian reserve.
This sector of forest in the state of Para in northern Brazil was illegally felled in 2009.
Rainforest treasures under threat —
This sector of forest in the state of Para in northern Brazil was illegally felled in 2009.
Greenpeace activists march along Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach ptotesting Brazil's new Forest Code in June 2011.
Rainforest treasures under threat —
Greenpeace activists march along Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana beach ptotesting Brazil's new Forest Code in June 2011.
Indigenous peoples pictured on a rainforest protest march in Para, in the Brazilian Amazon, in 2009.
Rainforest treasures under threat —
Indigenous peoples pictured on a rainforest protest march in Para, in the Brazilian Amazon, in 2009.
A forest fire engulfs the summit of Mount Merbabu on Indonesia's Java island in September 2011.
Rainforest treasures under threat —
A forest fire engulfs the summit of Mount Merbabu on Indonesia's Java island in September 2011.
A picture dating from 2010 showing a logged area in the mountains of Jambi province in Indonesia's Sumatra island.
Rainforest treasures under threat —
A picture dating from 2010 showing a logged area in the mountains of Jambi province in Indonesia's Sumatra island.
AFP/Getty Images
Much of Indonesia's forests have been cleared to make way for palm oil plantations -- like this one pictured in south Sumatra in 2010.
Rainforest treasures under threat —
Much of Indonesia's forests have been cleared to make way for palm oil plantations -- like this one pictured in south Sumatra in 2010.
Rainforest treasures under threat
CNN  — 

Norway has become the first country to stop clear-cutting of trees, a huge step toward curbing global deforestation.

At the rate we are going, the world’s rain forests could completely vanish in 100 years.

In their pledge last week, Norwegian lawmakers also committed to find a way to source essential products such as palm oil, soy, beef and timber so that they leave little to no impact on their ecosystems. It’s a pledge Norway made at the U.N. Climate Summit in 2014, alongside Germany and the United Kingdom.

This move could be potentially transformative.

According to the United Nations, the production of palm oil, soy, beef and wood products contributed to a little less than half of total tropical deforestation.

When forests are cleared and set in flames, the carbon in the trees is released as carbon dioxide – the main greenhouse gas contributing to climate change.

Norway has shown its commitment to a cleaner environment in other ways.

Rainforest home to vast treasury of life

In 2008, the country gave Brazil $1 billion to help fight deforestation of the Amazon rainforest – slashing deforestation by 75% in seven years.

It is also in the process of restricting the sales of gas-powered cars by 2025.

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