Almost enough to make one optimistic

1. Egypt demands better governance, and lots of countries follow suit.
2. MPs do a semi-u-turn and decide not to sell of forests
   Caroline Spelman issued an extraordinary apology yesterday as she scrapped plans to sell off England’s forests, telling MPs: “I’m sorry, we got this one wrong.” The Environment Secretary’s act of public contrition helped to
   calm the political storm the Government provoked with its controversial scheme to offload 637,000 acres of woodlands from public ownership. Tory MPs, who had joined a national protest campaign that united
   countryside groups and all shades of political opinion, rallied around the embattled minister as she confirmed the policy U-turn.
3. Indonesian rainforests have the pressure take off a little.
   Rainforests in Indonesia are getting a bit of a break by the palm oil arm of notorious forest destroyer, Sinar Mas. Many of you helped us expose the company’s role in rainforest destruction over the last three years and now the palm oil branch of Sinar Mas, Golden Agri-Resources (GAR), has unveiled a plan to stop destroying forests and peatlands in Indonesia. For years their plantations fuelled deforestation across Indonesia – now their pledge could help tackle climate change and save large areas of forest. And it’s your amazing efforts to persuade Nestle, Unilever and other companies to stop buying palm oil from Sinar Mas which has helped make this possible.

As with all these things, words are easy but action is hard, and promises easy to break.If you have the means and the inclination, please support the work of the fine organisations which have lobbied to make these good things happen. Donate to GreenPeace (palm oil) 38 Degrees (forests sell-off).