environment

Anam program to preserve forests

Panama has received a $2 million grant from the World Bank to stop deforestation.

Panama has been named part of a World Bank program that seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by deforestation.

The bank has listed 14 countries that will be part of the program, including four others from the Americas.

The Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente (Anam) has signed an agreement with the World Bank that will provide the agency with $2 million in funding to formulate a strategy to combat deforestation. That amount could increase depending on if more money is needed.

Eduardo Reyes, Anam deputy administrator, said the plan will be delivered in September during a meeting with World Bank officials in Washington, D.C.

Deforestation is considered responsible for 20 percent of global warming.

The World Bank has earmarked $300 million to combat global warming through stopping deforestation, of which $100 million will be distributed to various countries directly.

In Panama, Anam's goal is to reduce deforestation to zero by the year 2018. Anam is currently working on maps to delineate the country's forests, so the success of the program can be accurately measured.