Forests in focus: highlights from IUFRO at COP29
IUFRO - International Union of Forest Research Organizations
IUFRO is "the" global network for forest science cooperation.
This year’s UN Climate Change COP29 (11 to 22 November) in Baku, Azerbaijan, set out on delivering more and better climate finance to economically disadvantaged countries to help them overcome the impacts of climate change. And it is an opportunity for world leaders to show how they will enhance climate commitments.
At this critical moment for the achievement of climate goals it is imperative to also place more emphasis on forests and trees and their role in climate change negotiations. The first-ever Forest Pavilion, led by the UN Forum on Forests Secretariat and multi-stakeholder founding partners, provided a platform at the COP to strengthen political commitment and accelerate action for forests by all stakeholders.
IUFRO, CIFOR-ICRAF and ITTO | International Tropical Timber Organization prepared a booth that enable visitors to discover how these three organizations unite cutting-edge research, transformative policy solutions, on-the-ground initiatives, and community-driven action to harness the full potential of forests and tree-based systems for impactful, science-based climate solutions.
On 13 November, the highly anticipated Forest Pavilion officially opened with a diverse lineup of speakers, marking the beginning of a critical dialogue on the role of forests in addressing the climate crisis. Representatives from countries and organizations took the stage and underscored the vital role of forests in achieving climate goals, stressing the need for stronger political commitment, increased finance, and transformative global action for sustainable forest management.
“The Pavilion offers an extraordinary opportunity to engage with stakeholders from across the world, and from a wide range of backgrounds, from policymakers, to researchers, indigenous leaders, the private sector, and civil society. Each of them brings unique knowledge, insights, and perspectives that, together, can bring about effective, science-based solutions for the challenges forests face”, remarked Nelson Grima, Coordinator of the Science-Policy Programme, speaking on behalf of IUFRO.
Saturday, 16 November, was packed with activities for the IUFRO team, as the Pavilion focused its attention on the theme of “Forests Forward: Harnessing Science, Technology, and Innovation for Climate Finance and Action”. IUFRO and CIFOR-ICRAF. members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, organized the agenda of the day. Nelson Grima, Alexander Buck and Carola Egger engaged global audiences across four Instagram Live sessions.
Each conversation showcased a critical aspect of forest advocacy: from the undeniable role of forests in climate action to the essential collaborations between science and business. Nelson reminded viewers about the International Forest Governance report published earlier this year, while Alexander summarized the importance of global forest research cooperation, which is at the heart of IUFRO and was a key topic during the IUFRO World Congress 2024, Forests and society towards 2050.
Alexander further elevated IUFRO’s message through an interview with the Japan Broadcasting Corporation. This media spotlight emphasises the growing recognition of forest science and cooperation for a sustainable future of forests and society.
Later that day, TEAMING UP 4 FORESTS showcased its achievements in bridging research and practice to support sustainable forest management and wood-based value chains, critical for meeting global sustainability targets. In a session titled "Driving sustainable development through collaboration", Carola and Maja Radosavljevic (online) highlighted the platform’s success in uniting scientists, businesses, and stakeholders over three years, and presented the shared vision moving forward.
"When science and business collaborate, we tackle UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as Climate Action (13), Life on Land (15), Responsable Consumption and Production (12), Decent Work and Economic Growth (8), and on top of that Partnerships (17)", said Carola.
She also presented the recent Europe’s wood supply in disruptive times report.
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On 20 November, the Pavilion’s spotlight was on “Sustainable forest-based bioeconomy for climate change mitigation and adaptation”. The event jointly organized by FAO, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), Japan and ITTO, highlighted important projects in which IUFRO plays a prominent role, including WOOD for GLOBE #SW4SW and the European wood policy platform (woodPoP) .
The 2024 Forest Pavilion was an exceptional premiere as we look towards COP30, which will be held from 10 to 21 November 2025, in Belém, Brazil, in the heart of the Amazon, where forests shall be placed at the forefront of the global political agenda.
RELEVANT LINKS
IUFRO website
CIFOR-ICRAF
UN DESA
Recording of opening
Recording of TEAMING UP 4 FORESTS presentation
Stay tuned for the Instagram videos coming up.
Rafael Carlstein - Economista, Consultor
3 个月Congratulation IUFRO, CIFOR-ICRAF and ITTO | International Tropical Timber Organization