Blame the forests for environmental degradation and biodiversity loss: in defence of the tropical forests. Forests are a universal asset, and to blame tropical forests for today’s environmental mess up and biodiversity loss is distressing to a forester. On the one hand, as published by the IUFRO 1988 Bellagio Task Force on Tropical Forestry Research, to the people of 33 developing countries, forests provide valuable export income needed for physical and social development of their countries. When forests are cut down or burnt, they become a source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission into the atmosphere. Forest reduction deprives forest dwellers of their food security. Between these competing claims for attention, there is, however, a need for the right perspective on the role of countries in the damage being done to the forests and environment.