Confronting the Global Forest Emergency

Wildfires are spreading, leaving entire regions in ashes. The climate crisis, deforestation and the pressure of the extractive industry is putting forest ecosystems and the people who depend on them under increasing pressure. At the same time, local communities are implementing ecosystem-based solutions that combine traditional knowledge and sustainable economic opportunities. 

At COP31 the Forest emergency may no longer be in the spotlight, however, the urgency of halting deforestation and the need to strengthen the people that protect forest ecosystems remains unchanged. As discussions focus on electrification, decarbonization and just transition, it is essential that the protection of terrestrial ecosystems, including (tropical) forests, savannas, grasslands and drylands, as well as the rights of local and traditional communities and those most affected by climate crisis remain at the centre of the discussion and negotiations of the COP31 Action Agenda.

Looking at the continuous and new challenges to guarantee local and just solutions for protecting forest ecosystems and traditional communities, the role of Germany as a major donor and long-standing global partner is crucial. What are the approaches and new strategies needed to ensure that international cooperation is implemented effectively and that just forest protection is guaranteed? What are the priorities and demands of Indigenous Peoples, Local Communities and those populations most affected? And how can global partners ensure that forest protection commitments and pledges discussed in Belém and Antalya mature into concrete investments delivered on the ground at COP32 in Addis Ababa?

Building on the experiences from Brazil, DRC and Ethiopia, this side event will explore how community-based solutions can be strengthened and scaled. Bringing together community representatives, civil society, policymakers, scientists and international organisations, we will discuss the policies, partnerships and financing needed to protect forests and advance global climate justice, biodiversity and land-restoration commitments.