Forests Should Be Front and Center in Lima #COP20

The longer forests are allowed to grow, the greater the climate benefit. This basic biological fact has given rise to a number of international programs and policies designed to encourage the protection of forests as carbon sinks. In fact, the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, of which many European nations are signatories, has developed a variety of tools and policy frameworks to encourage greater forest conservation.

EPA Misses the Forest for the Trees

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has failed to protect the forests, communities and climate with its new proposed framework for regulating biogenic carbon emissions from stationary sources. They have not followed the recommendations of their own Scientific Advisory Board as well as the mounting government and academic research that burning trees for electricity is going to increase Carbon emissions and accelerate climate change.

Youth Activist Cole Rasenberger on Partnership with Dogwood

Recently, I was fortunate to be asked to speak in a live panel interview at the ASTC world conference about my youth activist experiences. ASTC has been around for 40 years. Everyone I met was highly educated especially in science. I was very nervous, but it was incredible to share my experiences with others and to learn from others too. I spoke at Raleigh, NC Science museum. Everyone was so thoughtful and interested in saving our planet in one way or another. It was inspiring! I learned if you truly believe in something, speak out so others hear you and get inspired to help save our planet too.