As you point out, deforestation accounts for some eighteen percent of global carbon-dioxide emissions, which is more than all the world’s cars, trucks, trains, planes, and ships put together. (“Last Gasp for the Forest,” September 26, 2009). Gosh! Paying people to not chop down trees is thus a brilliant idea. To begin with, it does not require new technology. In addition, it is likely to generate the required political support. In spite of all the criticisms of reducing deforestation, which you outline in your excellent three-page article, considerable effort should be put into finding ways to turn it into a viable scheme and implementing it as soon as possible. How much effort? To reduce carbon-dioxide emissions, we should focus about eighteen percent of our overall effort to reducing deforestation. As Brazil accounts for around forty percent of the world’s deforestation, some seven percent of the global effort should be focused on this country’s mismanagement of forests alone. At least the math is straightforward.