This is a High-level Dialogue of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests on Turning the Tide on Deforestation taking place on Thursday 17 November 2022, 15:00–16:30 GMT+2 at UNFCCC COP27 Side Event, Room 3 (Hatshepsut) in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
Turning the tide on deforestation is a top priority for the UN Secretary-General, who called for accelerated efforts to halt deforestation and restore forests in 2019 through concerted action and advocacy across and beyond the UN system. An estimated 420 million hectares (ha) of forest – an area larger than twice the size of Mexico – was lost between 1990 and 2020, with agricultural expansion driving about 90% of global deforestation in the 2000-2018 period.
Nature-based solutions can cost-effectively provide up to one-third of the climate change mitigation needed between now and 2030 to stabilize global warming below 1.5C. Of these, reducing deforestation and forest degradation are among the most effective options. This was emphasized through the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use, adopted during the UNFCCC COP26 to accelerate efforts to halt deforestation by 2030, and in the launch of the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership at COP27. This Partnership includes 26 countries committed to accelerating momentum to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.
The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), consisting of 15 international organizations, is spearheading the efforts to halt deforestation globally. It is time to scale up finance for forest solutions. The CPF is ready to support access to public finance for activities targeted at halting deforestation, conserving and sustainably using forests, restoring forests, and support the leveraging of private investment for sustainable land use, agriculture, forest conservation, restoration and management.
Objectives
At the High-level Dialogue, leaders of CPF agencies will discuss actions, transparency and finance to accelerate efforts in turning the tide on deforestation in the context of current global pledges, including the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership. The dialogue will also serve to identify next steps to be taken to realize enhanced ambition and global commitments. Read more
Moderator
- Mario Boccucci, Head, UN-REDD Programme Secretariat
- Amy Duchelle, Senior Forestry Officer, Forestry Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Opening Remarks
- Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General, FAO, and Chair of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests
- Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs (video message)
Special Guest Speakers
- High-level representative of the COP27 Presidency
- High-level representative of the COP26 Presidency
- Representative of Ghana, Co-chair of Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership
High-Level Panel
- Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary, UNFCCC
- Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity
- Susan Gardner, Director, Ecosystems Division, United Nations Environment Programme
- Sheam Satkuru, Executive Director, International Tropical Timber Organization
- Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo, Director, UN Forum on Forests Secretariat
Respondent
- Jessica Vega Ortega, Global Indigenous Youth Caucus
