Germany pledges millions to save forests

By Madeline Chambers

BONN, Germany (Reuters) - Germany has pledged 500 million euros ($786.2 million) by 2012 to help protect the world's forests, a move activists said could give impetus to U.N. talks on preserving the earth's biodiversity.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, who won praise from environmentalists last year for her part in pushing through EU and G8 deals to fight climate change, made the commitment at a U.N. conference as it entered its decisive phase.

"We need a turning point on the issue of biodiversity," Merkel told delegates from 191 states participating in the 12-day conference which ends on Friday.

U.N. studies say the planet is facing the most serious spate of extinctions since dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago, and experts meeting in Bonn are trying to agree on ways to slow down the rate at which plants and animals are dying out.

Human activity, including greenhouse gas emissions, are largely to blame, say the experts, who also warn of the economic costs of the loss of biodiversity.

Politicians have started to take biodiversity more seriously because of a surge in food prices which has been linked to booming demand in fast-growing economies, including China, and the growing use of crops to provide fuel.

Experts say crops will suffer if wild stocks die out.

"We're ready to take responsibility," said Merkel. "We're ready to do everything we can to safeguard the riches of our earth and the foundation of life for mankind," she said, adding some 150 animal and plant varieties die out every day.