Nations Unite to Stop Deforestation

Leaders from 32 nations sharing the world's three largest rain forests agreed Friday to stop deforestation, and they asked industrialized nations to help finance their efforts, according to AFP.com. During a meeting in Brazzaville, Congo, the leaders acknowledged "the links between deforestation and forest degradation as well as socio-economic issues such as sustainability and poverty reduction." They agreed to "put forward their common interest in the framework of different multilateral forums" and to "adopt concrete measures to promote dialogue and cooperation between countries." Nations comprising the Congo Basin in Africa, Amazon Basin in South America, and Borneo-Mekong Basin in Southeast Asia took part in the meeting.