International forests conservation activities should target 15 countries that have the best prospects for continued existence of their green cover, states a recent report of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). "Short of a miraculous transformation in the attitude of people and governments, the Earth's remaining closed-canopy forests and their associated biodiversity are destined to disappear in the coming decades,' said UNEP executive director Klaus Toepfer. "Knowing it is unlikely that all forests can be protected, it would be better to focus conservation priorities on a few target areas,' Toepfer added. The countries that have been identified with important closed-canopy forests are Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, Congo, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Russia, the US and Venezuela. The UNEP report is based on a satellite survey conducted by scientists from eminent organisations.