2021: Data, Climate, and Solutions-IISD
At this time of year, we find it instructive to look back at our most read stories for 2021. This look back reminds us how far we have come and helps to set our agenda for the following year.
All publications from the years 2008 to 2019 can be found here on our old website
December 2021
Scientists Issue Roadmap to Protect Earth as Safe Operating Space-IISD
The International Science Council convened a process to reorient funding for scientific research and institutional arrangements to support needed societal transformations. The resulting report sets out a roadmap for the production of actionable knowledge in five areas that pose the most risk to the Earth as a “safe operating space” within ten or 20 years.
Latest Round of National Reports Emphasize Efforts on SDGs 3, 5 and 8-IISD
The 2021 HLPF convened in a hybrid format from 6-15 July under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). Leading up to the session, 42 governments had conducted VNRs, and they presented on these processes during the Forum. The DESA report notes that these governments recognized the second year of the pandemic as “a crucial time to conduct a VNR, in order to align their efforts towards a resilient recovery.”
New book details best approaches to Adaptive Collaborative Management in forests - CIFOR
For three scientists who have authored a new book titled Adaptive Collaborative Management in Forest Landscapes: Villagers, Bureaucrats and Civil Society (Routledge, 2022), it represents the conjoining of their disparate but likeminded visions and guiding strategic principles for Adaptive Collaborative Management (ACM) in forest landscapes and resource management.
Tenure and governance research: Build on accomplishments under PIM to meet SDGs-CIFOR
Secure tenure and effective governance are central to the future of natural resources and agriculture. Although important on their own, tenure and governance are also embedded in the solutions to key global challenges: climate change; environmental management; poverty; gender equity and women’s empowerment; and nutrition and health.
Ensuring REDD+ finance delivers fair finance and benefits to meet climate goals – CIFOR
Establishing standards for measuring, monitoring and assigning financial value to forest-related greenhouse gas emissions is a challenging process due to the wide range of variables at play, said delegates attending the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow.
Change of management at UNIDO: Gerd Müller succeeds Director General Li Yong – UNIDO
VIENNA, 30 November 2021 – Gerd Müller, Germany’s acting Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, is set to take office as the new Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).
Global study reveals that Indigenous lands protect tropical forests from deforestation - SHEFFIELD
A team of researchers led by the University of Sheffield has discovered that rates of deforestation and degradation in tropical forests are lower in Indigenous lands compared to other areas. The findings, published in Nature Sustainability, show that across the tropics, Indigenous lands had a fifth less deforestation on average compared to non-protected areas, and in Africa, Indigenous Lands reduce deforestation more effectively than protected areas.
The Congo Basin: Eight grants totaling $105.05 million were made to create more than 11 million hectares of new protected areas
The Congo Basin. The Congo Basin is home to 70% of Africa’s forests and is one of the most important places for biodiversity and carbon stocks on the planet—yet only 17% of the area is protected today. Each year, large areas are lost to deforestation, while remaining forests are degraded by logging, mining, agriculture, the building of new roads, fuelwood collection, hunting, and other pressures.
9th FSC Congo Basin Community Newsletter
With this newsletter we would like to inform you about some of the current activities of FSC on behalf of the FSC Congo Basin team, and furthermore interest you with the actualities relevant to the tropical timber trade and our network partners.
The CBFP Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany, Honorable Dr. Christian Ruck co-hosts a press conference with the President of COMIFAC on the Congo Basin’s involvement to the COP26 Climate in Glasgow
A press conference was held on Friday 17 December 2021, at 10 a.m. at the Djeuga Palace Hotel to discuss the involvement of COMIFAC countries and partners in COP 26 in Glasgow, UK. This press conference was co-hosted by the CBFP Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany, His Excellency Dr. Christian Ruck, and the current Chairman of the COMIFAC Council of Ministers, His Excellency Mr. Jules Doret NDONGO, Minister of Forests and Wildlife of Cameroon.
PASTORALISM IN EASTERN CENTRAL AFRICA: Implications for State, Society and the Environment
This report provides a technical analysis of pastoral dynamics in the region to support the development of adaptive management approaches. Rooted in genuine engagement, it presents a series of recommendations for regional actors and NGOs involved in pastoralism.
Cameroon Says New Clashes Kill at Least 10, Displace Hundreds – VOANEWS
Cameroonian authorities say clashes between ranchers and fishers have left at least ten people dead and scores wounded Monday, forcing hundreds to flee into neighboring Chad. The clashes in Cameroon’s north broke out over water scarcity, a problem that authorities have struggled to address.
FLEGT Voluntary Partnership Agreements 2.0 – FERN
This discussion document gathers the views and perspectives of timber-producing country stakeholders on the EU’s policies to protect tropical forests and forest communities. It highlights potential innovations and revisions to the VPA model, and options to ensure its full integration into and contribution towards global action against deforestation.
Climate Governance Newsletter - 2nd Edition 2021
A lot has happened since we were last in touch. Most importantly, after a year’s delay, COP26 finally took place. Debate continues on whether it was a good COP or a bad COP, but we made sure voices from over 15 countries were heard as they made this demand: stop corruption from diluting climate action. Before finishing up with 2021, let’s take a glance at our activities around the world.
Lobi, the art of writing the future - Interholco
03.12.2021. INTERHOLCO is proud to present Lobi, the spearhead of its first collection made from FSC®* certified Sustainable Hardwood, Made in Africa according to the most demanding socio-environmental criteria. Lobi means 'tomorrow' and 'future' in the broadest sense; the name is derived from Lingala, the most widely used language in Congo Basin countries.
This report reinforces the "Fair Deal" and "Fair Share" for the protection of the Congo Basin Forests which is the largest net positive tropical carbon sink in the world...
...and at the same time to contribute to "Saving" the planet with those 80 billion tons of CO2 Stored and which could come from the emissions of the intense industrial period ... Joint the "Fair Deal" Alliance to protect the Congo Basin rainforest...
« Fair Deal, Fair Share » Congo Basin : The Congo Basin becomes the world’s first tropical carbon sink
Today, despite their comparatively smaller area, the undisturbed forests in Central African of the Congo Basin now absorb more carbon than in the Amazon and Southeast Asia combined, and is thus the most important tropical carbon sink to date.
COP 26 – GIZ-COMIFAC-PFBC: Ministers from Central African countries around Ms. Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, Director General of the GIZ Presidium (Vorstand) - German GIZ Cooperation celebrated
COP 26, Glasgow, 8 November 2021, held a High-Level Side Event in the COMIFAC Congo Basin Initiative Pavilion on the theme: "Nature-based solutions as means of conservation and sustainable management of Congo Basin Forest landscapes for climate change mitigation.” This high-level event between ministers of the Congo Basin countries and representatives of development agencies was attended by Ms. Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, Director General of the GIZ Presidium (Vorstand).
News & stories from Solange: Newsletter November 2021
After the removal of the Salonga National Park from the list of World Heritage in Danger last July, another piece of good news has come to mark the life of the park in this year 2021. Indeed, a new partnership agreement on the Salonga National Park concluded between the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation and the WWF will bring the collaboration between the two institutions to the phase of the implementation of an even more effective management framework to better address the specific challenges of the largest park in Africa.
COP 26 – A landmark event on financing: High Level Political Dialogue between COMIFAC countries and donor countries.
His Excellency Honorable Dr. Christian Ruck, Goodwill Ambassador and CBFP Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany, testifies about the participation of technical and financial partners in the consultative process that led to the Declaration of Commitment by COMIFAC Member States for Central Africa Forests and call for equitable financing and "Fair Share" and "Fair Deal" to which he was made a Goodwill Ambassador in Berlin on the sidelines of the symposium on tropical forests by Germany and the Ministers of the COMIFAC countries.
COP 26 - Glasgow: Honorable Dr. Christian successfully drives landmark mobilization – Fair Deal movement bears fruit: US$ 1.5billion to protect Central African forests in the Congo Basin.
For the first time in the history of Conferences of the Parties, Central African countries are securing a financial commitment from donors within the framework of the "Fair Deal" to accelerate the implementation of the COMIFAC Declaration of September 2021. This is a major achievement for COMIFAC, Central African countries, and CBFP partners.
COMIFAC at CoP26: Private Sector – British Timber Federation, China Timber Association and Central African countries call for global governance of the world’s forests for greater equity.
Co-organised by COMIFAC, German Facilitation of the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP) and Timber Trade Federation of Great Britain (TTF UK), an important session on private sector took place on 6 November 2021, at the COMIFAC Pavilion at CoP26 in Glasgow, UK, on the theme: "Global Forests Need Global Governance".
Landmark International Mobilization for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities: US$ 1,7 Billion available – Central Africa Calls for a “Fair Share” – A Fair Share for its Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities
US$ 1.7 billion international financial commitment aims to promote support to indigenous peoples' and local communities' land rights and forest conservation - Glasgow COP26, November 2021...
COP 26 – High-level visit of H.E. Mr. Denis Sassou-Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo to COMIFAC Congo Basin Initiatives Pavilion
COP 26 - Glasgow-Scotland, 3 November 2021: The CBFP Facilitator of the Federal Republic of Germany, Honorable Dr. Christian Ruck and His Excellency Jules Doret Ndongo, current President of COMIFAC welcome to the COMIFAC Congo Basin Initiatives Pavilion, H.E. Mr. Denis Sassou-Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo, President of the Congo Basin Climate Commission.
Convention on Climate Change and Biodiversity: Validation of Parliamentary Position Papers for the Conferences of the Parties on Biodiversity and Climate
The sub-regional workshop for the validation of the position papers of parliamentarians of the sub-region for Conferences of the Parties on Biodiversity (CoP15) and Climate (CoP26) to be held respectively in Kunming, China and Glasgow, Scotland was held from 12 to 15 October 2021 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Organised in collaboration with the Network of Parliamentarians for the Sustainable Management of Central African Forest Ecosystems (REPAR - AC), this activity benefited from the technical support of the GIZ Regional Project in support of COMIFAC.
COP 26 – Towards the third Heads of State and Government of COMIFAC Summit – High-level visit by DRC President Felix Antoine Tshisekedi to the COMIFAC Congo Basin Initiatives Pavilion
COP 26 - Glasgow-Scotland, 2 November 2021: The COMIFAC Basin Congo Initiatives Pavilion was enhanced and honoured by the visit of His Excellency Felix Antoine Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chairman of the African Union.