On Tuesday 12 March 2024, from 16:30-18:00 CET, the first dialogue between the College of Donors and the Scientific and Academic College (SAC) of the CBFP was held in virtual form. Over 70 people participated actively in the dialogue.
Kindly download:
The aim of the meeting was to promote cooperation as well as scientific and academic dialogue on the forests of the Congo Basin as part of the implementation of strategic priority 1 of the 2023-2025 roadmap of the CBFP. The meeting was organised by the CBFP Co-Facilitation of France and Gabon and the Co-Chairs of the CBFP Scientific College and Donors College.
The dialogue was specifically an opportunity for the networks that are members of the scientific college of the CBFP or potential members during this first meeting to present their networks, activities and actions to the members of the college of donors of the CBFP and to obtain feedback.
As set out in the agenda, the meeting began with the traditional inaugural session.
In his speech, Lucas Ivernel, speaking on behalf of the Franco-Gabonese Co-Facilitation of the CBFP, reminded participants of the 20th Meeting of the Parties to the CBFP, to be held from 3 to 6 June 2024 in Kinshasa. He presented the Guidance Note for the 20th Meeting of the Parties to the CBFP and the thematic workshop on cooperation and scientific dialogue for MOP 20. The two co-chairs of the College of Donors of the CBFP, the United Kingdom and the United States, welcomed the initiative of the meeting, which would provide members of their College with information on all the initiatives, thereby facilitating synergy and cooperation and guiding the actions of donors.
Prof. Damase Khasa of Laval University, Co-Chair of the Scientific College, welcomed the participants and presented the roadmap and activities of the CBFP Scientific and Academic College: Surveys on the mapping of higher education, university and research institutions and international partners.
After the presentation by the professors, interactive round-table discussions enabled the panelists to present their networks and research initiatives.
Itemerged from this round table that the Scientific and Academic College of the CBFP (CSA), led by the University of Laval, Canada and RIFFEAC, has 26 members, including:
- RIFFEAC : The Network of Forestry and Environmental Training Institutions of Central Africa
A union of twenty-three training institutions in countries of the Central African sub-region. Find out more...
- Academic Consortium for the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (American) (ACCBFP) / Congo Basin Institute, CBI
The ACCBFP is an initiative of members of the CBFP living in America. The initiative was launched during the American Facilitation of the CBFP. Read more… Kindly download the presentation of Dr Virginia Zaunbrecher on the Summary of the state of knowledge-based decision-making at the CBFP...
- The Congo Basin Institute (CBI) is a joint initiative of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and UCLA. The CBI was launched at the 15th Meeting of the Parties (MOP 15) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, under the auspices of the United States as part of the CBFP. Find out more...
-"Three networks in (almost) one: R2FAC, RESSAC, Dynafac »
R2FAC: Research network on the forests of central Africa - R2FAC
The R2FAC brings together institutions and independent researchers who contribute to the "Management and sustainable development of forest resources" and "Research and development" priorities of the Convergence Plan of the Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC). Find out more about R2FAC and its charter. Read more…
RESSAC : Applied research in ecology and social sciences in support of sustainable management of forest ecosystems in Central Africa (RESSAC) is an initiative of CIFOR and ICRAF aimed at strengthening the impact of this research on the sustainable management of Central African forest ecosystems.
DYNAFAC: Improving forest management in Central Africa is an initiative of several CBFP members The DYNAFAC collective promotes the development of technical and scientific skills among stakeholders in the management of Central African forests. Read more…
Download the Dr Guillaume Lescuyer's presentation of the three networks..
- The Congo Basin Science Initiative (CBSI)
The Congo Basin Science Initiative (CBSI) is the 127th member of the CBFP. It is a vast network of scientists, seeking to increase investment to train a new generation of scientists and collect data that will transform understanding of the world's second largest rainforest to inform policy. Find out more…
- CEBioS: Capacities for Biodiversity and Sustainable Development is a programme of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. CEBioS acts as an interface between science, policy and development practice by addressing governance, outreach and conservation in the field, involving local scientists, authorities, civil society organisations and local communities, and harnessing local and traditional knowledge. Find out more…
- UGent - Congo Basin Centre of Excellence (UG-CBC)
The UG-CBC is a partnership between several professors from Ghent University who focus on climate change, biogeochemistry, biodiversity and carbon balance in the forests of the Congo Basin. These professors have set up the first Foucault covariance flux tower in the Congo Basin (CongoFlux), which is located in the Yangambi man and biosphere reserve.
- Royal Museum for Central Africa (RMCA)
The RMCA has funding from the Belgian Development Agency (DGD) and the Belgian Science Policy Office (BELSPO) to invest in the interface between cutting-edge scientific research, education and capacity building in the Congo Basin (particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo). Research focuses mainly on the dynamics of carbon and biodiversity in tropical forests, from a multi-temporal perspective. Kindly download the presentation of Prof. Wannes Hubau.
The Central Africa Forest Observatory (OFAC)
The Central African Forest Observatory (OFAC) is a specialised unit of the Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC) which provides updated and relevant data on the region's forests and ecosystems, with the aim of informing political decision-making and promoting better governance and sustainable management of natural resources. Find out more…
In addition to the 27 permanent members, the Scientific and Academic College (SAC) of the CBFP includes a number of other potential institutions that spoke at the meeting:
- Science Panel for the Congo Basin (SPCB)
SPCB is the first independent scientific group of its kind dedicated to consolidating existing knowledge about the state of the Congo Basin and its ecosystems, and the threats they face. The SPCB intends to produce an assessment report to be presented at COP30. Find out more…
- The One Forest Vision Initiative ( OFVi)
OFVi aims to provide scientific support to the countries of the tropical basins in preserving the environmental integrity of the irretrievable biodiversity and carbon reservoirs of tropical forests and wetlands. A dedicated French budget of €15 million over 5 years has been made available for the Congo Basin. Find out more… Kindly download the presentation of OFVi
- The scientific network of the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI)
The scientific network of CAFI is being developed and will have the task of strengthening the policy-science interface for partner countries and at regional level. It will also inform strategic programmes that need to be underpinned by solid science and data, such as the development (or engagement) of carbon markets and payments for ecosystem services (including biodiversity).
The round table led to several sets of discussions, including the need to strengthen the science-policy dialogue, and the importance of including OFAC in the landscape of initiatives. With regard to data collection and management, emphasis was laid on research in the social sciences and development, as it has received little attention from research in the forestry and conservation sector. All the participants commended the initiative of the meeting, which enabled a sustained understanding of all the networks presented, and stressed the need for greater synergy and coordination.
Dr Virginia Zaunbrecher, JD reminded participants of the document produced by the scientific and academic college of the CBFP when UCLA was Co-President, which can be downloaded here: « Executive Summary: State of Knowledge- Based Decision-Making at CBFP » which could help frame the science-policy dialogue. For future editions, discussions will focus on a better understanding of the focus of the College of Donors in terms of research on the forests of Central Africa and how to best build synergy between research networks. The meeting will take place from 3 to 6 June 2024 in Kinshasa, DRC.
The meeting ended with closing remarks by Lucas Ivernel of the CBFP Co-Facilitation of France and Gabon.
To find out more about the remote sensing effort pan-tropicale, PANGEA, check here…
