Back in the 1990’s a proposal, quickly dismissed by the United Nations, is now back in the mix may be making a much needed comeback.  What was proposed was that countries with vast forests of trees could swap not logging the trees, which protects the environment, with countries that exceed carbon dioxide emissions set under the terms of the Kyoto agreement. Basically for each ton of carbon saved by not cutting or burning the trees, you can sell that on the open market to companies or countries that exceed their carbon emissions.

Countries like Papua New Guinea and Costa Rica are in the forefront of this proposal. Indonesia, with vast forests could conceivably net $1 billion dollars a year by cutting back on their deforestation by 1/3^rd. If the 3^rd world countries would then return the money gained to the farmers who are most likely to cut down trees, then the incentive to not cut down the forest would be increased dramatically.

While there are major problems with this proposal, especially when you see that 80% of Amazonian deforestation is done illegally, it is a direction I believe we need to look into further.