Should the U.S. put pressure on other countries to slow down on deforestation?

Question

I have a debate at the end of this week in Bio. and wanted input from others. My teacher posed the question "What would the U.S. do if other countries told us to stop cutting down trees?" We aren't sure how to cover that, and any information you have is greatly appreciated :]

Answer 1

Why not? The US pushes countries around all the time.

Answer 2

Another way to look at this question is: should the people that use the largest amount of wood per capita, compared to any other nation in the world, expect people in poorer nations to give up their only source of income so we can live in gigantic houses without feeling guilty about harming the environment? Would those people need to cut the forests if people in the US weren't using so much wood? Would people in the US be willing to pay more for their wood if people in other nations agreed to manage the forests in an ecologically sustainable fashion?

This link goes to an organization that tries to help people retain their jobs without destroying forests through a certification program.

Answer 3

the us doesnt listen to other countries, because we dont need to. not only are we extremely powerful, other countries rely upon us for their economies, so unless it was in our best interest to stop cutting down trees, we wouldnt

Answer 4

If you take, you should give.