Australia fund to protect forests

One goal would be to improve law enforcement in forested areas

Australia is setting up a A$200m ($160m, £80m) fund to protect the world's forests, in a bid to tackle illegal logging and global warming.

The fund's main aims are to reduce deforestation and plant new forests.

PM John Howard said the idea would make more difference than signing the Kyoto protocol on greenhouse gas emissions.

Critics said Mr Howard, who has refused to sign the protocol, was trying to bolster his environmental credentials ahead of elections later this year.

The Australian government said its Global Initiative on Forests and Climate would work with developed and developing countries.

It's a stunning piece of hypocrisy Senator Bob Brown

It would aim to improve developing countries ability to assess their forest resources, and improve regulatory and law enforcement regimes to protect them.

Mr Howard said the idea would slow the rate at which forests are cleared in places like Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

"As everybody knows, if you can do that you will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. What this initiative will do, in a shorter period of time, is make a greater contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions than, in fact, the Kyoto protocol," he said.

Green concerns

But Mr Howard's move was criticised by some environmentalists.

Opposition Greens Senator Bob Brown called Mr Howard a "forest fool".

"It's a stunning piece of hypocrisy that he is putting $200m into stopping forest burning in South East Asia while he is authorising forest burning in southern Australia," he said.

Environmental group Greenpeace said it would make more sense for Australia - which is one of the world's biggest per capita emitters of carbon dioxide - to sign the Kyoto protocol.

Mr Howard again refused to sign the protocol this week, arguing that doing so would damage Australia's economies while not requiring developing countries such as China and India to reduce emissions.

Mr Howard is trailing in opinion polls ahead of federal elections expected this year. Polls show that the environment is a key concern among voters.