Forests and Climate Change

The burning and clearing of forests accounts for roughly 20 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions, more than the emissions from all the world's cars, trucks and airplanes combined. Various facets of our environmental strategy promote sustainable management of the world's forests, including our participation in the World Wildlife Fund's (WWF) Global Forest and Trade Network, the investment by Wal-Mart Brazil in Amazon conservation, and the responsible mining criteria developed through our Jewelry Sustainable Value Network.

In 2008, we participated in a process convened by The Forests Dialogue, which brought together more than 250 experts from industry, governments, multilateral institutions, indigenous people's organizations and conservation groups. The meeting culminated in a consensus "Statement on Forests and Climate Change" provided to international policymakers.