R E S O L U T I O N 1-1 WHEREAS, Among the many environmental problems that threaten 1-2 the health, economic, and political well-being of the United States 1-3 and the world at large, the destruction of the planet's tropical 1-4 rain forests is of paramount concern; and 1-5 WHEREAS, These lush and vibrant regions lying in the 1-6 equatorial areas of Central and South America, Africa, and 1-7 Southeast Asia are the richest, oldest, and most productive and 1-8 complex ecosystems in the world; rain forests cover less than two 1-9 percent of the earth's surface but are home to over half of all 1-10 life forms on the planet; and 1-11 WHEREAS, In addition to their beauty and biological 1-12 diversity, rain forests provide flood control, reduce topsoil 1-13 erosion, and perform the vital function of transforming carbon 1-14 dioxide into life-sustaining oxygen; and 1-15 WHEREAS, The wealth of resources present in these areas has 1-16 led to their destruction by logging, cattle ranching, mining, oil 1-17 extraction, construction of hydroelectric dams, and subsistence 1-18 farming; scientists estimate that at current rates of 1-19 deforestation, equaling approximately 78,000,000 acres per year, 1-20 between 80 and 90 percent of the world's total rain forests will be 1-21 destroyed by the year 2020; and 1-22 WHEREAS, To stem this rapid rate of destruction, federal 1-23 agencies involved in international relations and the promotion of 1-24 agriculture and industry abroad, such as the Department of 2-1 Agriculture, the Department of Commerce, the Department of State, 2-2 and the Agency for International Development, should develop 2-3 policies that help conserve these precious resources and promote 2-4 sustainable development in rain forest areas; now, therefore, be it 2-5 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas 2-6 Legislature hereby commend those Texans who have actively sought to 2-7 preserve these natural resources and encourage all Texans to be 2-8 mindful of world conservation policies to promote the preservation 2-9 of our irreplaceable rain forests. Wilson _______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1031 was adopted by the House on May 21, 1997, by a non-record vote. _______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House