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Project News and Activity
Latest NewsGive the rainforests our word and bond
As the Prince of Wales turns 60, he plans to unleash "the greatest public-private partnership yet". Article by Nicholas Stern, The Times, 04/11/08
Click on the above link to read the online article, or download the article here in PDF.  HRH The Prince of Wales' Asia Tour
The highlighting of environmental issues during The Prince’s overseas tour was continued on Sunday when he visited the Harapan Forest on the island of Sumatra. His Royal Highness met villagers from the threatened Harapan Forest damaged by illegal logging and palm oil forestry but now being protected and regenerated by three organisations including the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. Read more about the Tour by clicking on the heading above. Launch of new websites
The PRP Award at the Sony World Photography Awards
Project ActivityAfter the initial research and analysis phase, the Project is now in the engagement phase, which includes the following: Looking at ways to ensure money gets where it is needed, in particular in terms of ensuring sustainable livelihoods for forest dependent people, including sustainable agriculture and forest use, and monitoring rates of deforestation Instigating positive change in the production of the current biggest drivers of deforestation: beef, soy and palm oil Engaging with governments to discover their appetite for the kinds of solutions we believe will work Creating the global determination to influence the climate change agenda by encouraging mass sign-up on our website
Please click on a link below for updates on specific activities. Global Forest Monitoring
Africa Task Force
Drivers of Deforestation
Engaging the Financial Community
Guyana
Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD)
Research and Analysis Phase Activities
Latest News HRH The Prince of Wales' Asia TourThe Prince delivers the Presidential Lecture at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, 3rd November 2008  Ambitious plans to safeguard the world's rainforests by charging developed nations an annual "utility bill" to fund their protection were announced by The Prince of Wales in a speech to the Indonesian President, Dr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and his cabinet in Jakarta.
The proposals developed by The Prince's Rainforests Project would generate "emergency funding" for countries to change their practices and stop deforestation. The Prince described the rainforests as the "world's greatest public utility" acting as the planet's air conditioning system, storing its largest body of freshwater and providing a livelihood for more than a billion people. Read the full article
Read about Prince Charles' visit to the Harapan Forest, Sumatra
Find more articles about the Asia Tour
Download the Presidential Lecture and other speeches given on the Tour
Press releases Online press coverage of the Tour
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Launch of new websites Over the last month we have launched several new sites: a Schools site, Blog site and a Portuguese version of our website. Please have a look! Portuguese website: www.princesrainforestsproject.org/portugues. Our website will also be available shortly in French and Spanish. Schools site: www.princesrainforestsproject.org/schools. Includes free lesson plans, an award scheme and a Christmas card competition. Blog site: www.princesrainforestsproject.org/blog. Please have a look and post your comments! Start of page
The PRP Award at the Sony World Photography Awards On 22nd September The Prince’s Rainforests Project announced its partnership with Sony Europe and the World Photography Awards (SWPA) to create a new prize category – The Prince’s Rainforests Project Award. It is open to both amateur and professional photographers, with the professional winner receiving a three month grant to photograph the rainforests of the world. Find out more here.
Project Activity Global Forest Monitoring
In mid-October we convened a meeting of the major international players that are working to monitor forests from space. The aim of this meeting was to gather independent recommendations about the remote sensing options for forest monitoring, the best combination of products, and the commitments necessary to meet cost-effectively the requirements for deforestation measurement and monitoring. Attendees at this Private Meeting ranged from representatives of space agencies, government and NGOs to experts from universities and research centres. The meeting was funded by the Norwegian Government. More information on the outcome of this meeting will be posted here shortly. Start of page Africa Task ForceOur Africa Task Force (ATF), funded by Nedbank, has been interviewing a variety of government, NGO and business stakeholders in six African countries over the last three months. At two peer review sessions in Clarence House, our seven-person ATF team presented their initial findings, which focused on the costs of not funding development through deforestation and how sustainable forest management could be encouraged. They also discussed ways to reduce deforestation if the funding was available. The peer review sessions were attended by private sector investors, donors, NGOs and think-tank representatives. After positive feedback from the sessions, the team will now complete the six country reports for the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Tanzania, summarising the proposals and recommendations. Drivers of Deforestation Drivers of deforestation are numerous, complex and deeply interconnected. The first challenge has been to identify which drivers this project can best impact and how. We have chosen to focus on three commodities driving deforestation: beef, palm oil and soy. The returns from these commodities threaten to out compete payments for ecosystem services or any payment raised under a United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) agreement. We have started developing partnerships within the private sector, with leading Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), with retailers, and the academic community to investigate how beef, palm oil and soy can continue to be produced while alleviating pressure on forests. Consuming nations who import these commodities can use their market pull to instigate positive change in how these raw products are produced. The ultimate goal of this work is to bring sustainable produce to supermarket shelves. Engaging the Financial Community The Prince’s Rainforests Project held a dinner on 10th September at The Mansion House where HRH The Prince of Wales highlighted the urgent need for action and the part that the financial community can play in providing market-based solutions. David Attenborough addressed the guests as did Stanley Fink, recently retired Deputy Chairman from the Man Group who underwrote the evening. After dinner Sarah Brightman gave a musical performance. For more information and to view photos, news articles or speeches, please click here.
Also on 10th September we hosted a workshop involving rainforest nations, the European Union, the Department for International Development (DfiD), Norway, Germany, institutional investors, private investors, timber investment management organizations (TIMOs), investment banks, NGOs, and the World bank where we discussed what needs to happen to make rainforest into a new asset class. The essence of the challenge is that the rainforests are at the stage normally associated with venture capital type investors but generate returns similar to low risk investments such as UK or US Government bonds. A number of good ideas were brought up and discussed during the day and will now be taken forward. Download a summary of discussions from the workshop. GuyanaAs a result of our introducing the Clinton Climate Initiative to the Guyana Government, work is now commencing to calculate the costs Guyana would incur if it did not deforest. The plan is to suggest that Guyana is paid an equivalent amount of money to fund its sustainable development plan in return for retaining its forests. Details of this work will be available in November. Start of page Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD)The PRP convened a technical workshop on Monday 13th October attended by a mix of NGO proposal authors and country representatives. The purpose of this workshop was to understand and synthesise as much as possible the many proposals that have so far been put forward, and in doing so clarify and simplify this space for the benefit of all key stakeholders. Download a summary of discussions at the workshop (PDF 262KB) In addition, the PRP has also been undertaking an analysis of the proposals for REDD currently on the table, both from countries, NGOs and the scientific community. For information, we would like to share a draft of this analysis, which can be found below. Please note, though this information is correct to the best of our knowledge and interpretation, it should not be taken as a definitive statement on the proposals. Download draft REDD analysis (PDF 2.1MB)
Download Addendum: country submissions to the UNFCCC (PDF 50KB)
Research and Analysis Phase Activities
Brazilian Amazon private meeting delegates at St James Palace, London. May 2008
Amongst the initiatives engaged in by the Project during its initial research and analysis phase were: - Convening an historic private meeting at St James’s Palace with a senior Brazilian delegation across Government, business and NGOs, to evaluate a range of Brazilian initiatives to slow deforestation
- Convening a conference discussing illegal logging
- Travelling, for field and valuation research, to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea
- Setting up an ‘Africa Task Force’ to look into the issue of deforestation in a cross section of African rainforest nations including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Tanzania
- Convening financial institutions in the City of London to discuss criteria for investment standards to be applied to rainforest nations
- Engaging with governmental and intergovernmental bodies, from the European Union to the Kingdom of Norway, to understand current policy
- Engaging with business with interests in the rainforests to understand drivers
- Engaging with parallel studies to share knowledge and findings such as our partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative.
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