The Korea Forest Service announced Monday that it has signed an agreement with Honduras to protect forests and combat climate change.
The memorandum of understanding, the first of its kind between the two countries, outlines a large-scale forest conservation initiative known as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, or REDD+. The project will focus on protecting and managing all forested areas across Honduras.
At the signing ceremony held Thursday in Tegucigalpa, Nam Song-hee, KFS director general of International Forest Affairs Bureau, met with Malkom Stufkenz, deputy minister of the Honduran Secretariat of Natural Resources and Environment and Luis Edgardo Solis Lobo, head of the Honduran Forest Conservation and Development Institute. The three officials emphasized the urgent need for international cooperation in addressing climate change through forest conservation.
Honduran Foreign Minister Eduardo Enrique Reina, who also attended the event, called the agreement “a milestone” and pledged the Honduran government’s full support to ensure the project’s success.
The REDD+ program, the KFS said, aims to curb deforestation in developing countries while promoting sustainable forest management to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is considered a highly cost-effective method to combat climate change, as forests naturally absorb carbon dioxide. The program also benefits local communities by creating jobs, preserving biodiversity and aligning with UN recommendations for large-scale reforestation efforts.
“Honduras, with 57 percent of its land covered by forests -- about 6.36 million hectares -- has significant potential for carbon absorption due to its fast-growing tropical rainforests,” a KFS official said, adding that the project is expected to play a key role in helping the country achieve its 2030 greenhouse gas reduction targets.
The KFS said it has been expanding its global REDD+ efforts in recent years. In 2023, the agency signed a cooperation agreement with the Laos government to launch a large-scale greenhouse gas reduction project targeting 1.5 million hectares in Laos' Phongsaly province.
In addition, the Korean delegation participated in a wildfire prevention campaign in Tegucigalpa’s Zambrano region. They donated advanced firefighting equipment, including protective gear and multipurpose fire rakes, to support local communities in managing forest fires.
"We will continue to cooperate with the Honduran government to protect Central America’s tropical rainforests and natural ecosystems while contributing to Honduras’ economic development,” Nam of the KFS said.
