The continued cutting of trees, whether legal or illégal, they said, should be stopped to let degraded forests recover from decades of abuse. This way, they said, the country would have stronger defense against natural calamities.
Against the backdrop of climate change’s worst impacts, considering the country’s vulnerability to extreme weather events, and the country’s international commitments, specifically to reduce carbon emissions under the Paris Agreement signed in December last year, log-ban advocates said expanding the country’s forest will boost the carbon-absorption capacity, and will pave the way for sustainable growth and development.