What:

A press conference at which UNESCO will announce its involvement with Code REDD, an emergency action campaign promoting REDD+ as a scalable economic solution to stop deforestation and its adverse impact on climate change. In addition, representatives from leading corporations will announce their pledges to Code REDD and community leaders will discuss the benefits of REDD+.

In the evening, the Code REDD Campaign will publically launch with a multimedia event including a short film premiere by artist and filmmaker Jarbas Agnelli (AD Studio) and an architectural projection experience by Obscura Digital that will transform the Rio de Janeiro landmark Arcos da Lapa.

Who:

Gretchen Kalonji, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Science

David Antonioli, CEO, VCS

Kevin Whitfield, NedBank South Africa

Chief Almir N. Surui, Metareila Association, Brazil

Chief Pascal Kizaka, Kasigau, Kenya

Christian Del Valle, Managing Partner, Althelia Climate Fund GP

Regina Case, Actress and environmental activist*

Beto Borges, Director, Communities Program, Forest Trends

Mike Korchinsky, CEO, Wildlife Works; Founder, Code REDD Campaign

Karin Burns, Executive Director, Code REDD Campaign

When:

Tuesday June 19, 2012

Press Conference: 11:00 a.m.

Launch Event: 10:30 p.m.

Where:

Press Conference: Turmalina Room, Royal Tulip Hotel, Sao Conrado, Rio de Janeiro

Launch Event: Arcos da Lapa, Rio de Janeiro

Why:

Code REDD aims to solve two of the most pressing issues of our time:

1. How to stop the deforestation that is stripping the planet of its biodiversity, impoverishing forest communities and releasing massive amounts of pollution that are changing our climate forever.

2. How to allow the marketplace to continue to provide energy goods and services to our growing global population without accelerating the negative impacts on our climate.

The Code REDD Campaign provides a solution to both challenges.

Code REDD enables corporations to reduce their effective carbon footprint by buying Verified Emissions Reductions from high quality REDD projects that stop deforestation, protect biodiversity, and create unprecedented sustainable development for forest communities.