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The discussion focused on a proposed Declaration of the CBFP as a ‘type 2’ partnership, which while is not in the position to impose decisions on states, does have an influence over discussions and negotiations at the international level which relate to the region – UNFCCC and CBD in particular. This Declaration is a bit different in part because the Partners have not been able to come together in person, as before, but is particularly important articulate the importance of the Congo Basin to the UNFCCC and CBD agendas. We would like to ensure that the countries of the Congo Basin and the CBFP come to the table with a unified voice and advocate for the people and environment of the congo basin.
21 College Members Participating: Charly Facheux, Andrea Athanas, Emmanuel Heuse, Emma Stokes, Jerome Laycock, Dany Pokem, Nkuintchua Teodyl, Andrew Fowler, Denis Mahonghol, Clotilde Ngomba, Claus Falkenberg, Peter Philippot, Joe Eisen, Constant Momballa Mbun, Charles Bracke, Bricette Nguemwo, Maxime Nzita, Marie-Ange Kalenga, Constant Moballa Mbun,
The discussion focused on a proposed Declaration of the CBFP as a ‘type 2’ partnership, which while is not in the position to impose decisions on states, does have an influence over discussions and negotiations at the international level which relate to the region – UNFCCC and CBD in particular. This Declaration is a bit different in part because the Partners have not been able to come together in person, as before, but is particularly important articulate the importance of the Congo Basin to the UNFCCC and CBD agendas. We would like to ensure that the countries of the Congo Basin and the CBFP come to the table with a unified voice and advocate for the people and environment of the congo basin.
Based on the responses to the questionnaire distributed in June 2020 to the Colleges (annexed), the team has attempted to produce a synthesis with 3 components:
A description of the context and importance of the Congo Basin for climate change and biodiversity and the well-being of the communities living in the Basin.
The evidence of the challenges.
The way forward for the declaration...the approaches required from the international community to support the reversal of the situation.
The purpose of the synthesis is to ensure that the values of the Congo Basin are reflected in the discussions and decisions coming out of the series of meetings and agreements over the coming year. The members of the CBFP now have the opportunity to inform and influence the 21 points that are in the Declaration, and ensure that the points are equitably reflecting the different points of view in the various Colleges around the table in the Partnership.
College members are asked to reflect:
Are there aspects that are missing?
Are there aspects that need to be revised/amended?
Does the Declaration speak to the development and conservation priorities of the governments of the Congo Basin?
On the form of the draft declaration: on the French version, avoid words like Draft 0, Hotspot as there would be French language equivalents.
Have a good understanding of the issues to be addressed, identify the ways to address them on the political aspect; - This requires a commitment to the sustainable governance of resources, the promotion and implementation of essential tools such as land use planning, and the encouragement of a transformational economic model, given that the States have made commitments that are reflected in the percentage of PAs, which has changed significantly since 2002. Next, it is crucial to initiate transitional economy programmes; finally, for biodiversity, consider the territorial development dimension of the Congo Basin PAs outside the Ndjamena process.
The Declaration needs to address the key threats to biodiversity. Transhumance, as address in the N’Djamena declaration, are relevant to the areas bordering the Sahel. Governance and the green economy are essential for highlighting in the Declaration as essential for moving forward in a sustainable direction in the Basin. The Declaration should be inclusive of the actors around the table, not just the government’s perspective...that is the value of the Partnership and the Partnership’s voice, in particular the civil society organisations and indigenous peoples of the Congo Basin. There should be elements reflecting FLEGT and CAFFE as existing work programs of the CBFP. Rights and FPIC in particular should be addressed in the Declaration, particularly given the promotion of 30% of the land of the Congo Basin target...and the essential requirement of protecting rights in any future planning for protected areas. The community mapping shows that the entire Basin is under collective rights, but there is not mention of community rights or claims. Communities should be viewed and recognized as rights holders in the Basin. Moving towards more inclusive models of biodiversity management with a strengthened reference on community forestry. It is clear from the document synthesising the parties' contributions that the involvement of CLPA, the lack of FPIC and the need to promote human rights-based approaches are absolutely central issues. But none of this is reflected in the draft declaration... No mention of 'human rights', almost nothing on land rights (except as an appendix in Article 10), and nothing on community forestry as a viable option for 'community' conservation.
A major reference is missing in the document, an important lever, CITES in relation to wildlife. Similarly, the China-Central Africa relationship (dialogue) is absent from the declaration when FOCAC is held in 2021, with major issues at stake in the Congo Basin.
Need to increase the role of CSOs, local governance in the declaration. A reflection should be carried out on the possibility of moving towards two documents: (1) a declaration carried by the countries, towards precise commitments. A real commitment that would serve as a relay at the political and international level and (2) a declaration by the actors (multi-actors).
On the Financing Mechanism for Change, an emphasis is given to traditional climate financing which cannot secure intact forests for which no market exists. There is a need to look at a financing mechanism specific to intact forests on the financing aspects in the declaration.
It is necessary to make reference to the content of the ECCAS treaty reform which has an emphasis on the need to create wealth, economic valorisation, direct benefits at the level of the Communities, at the level of GDP. It is necessary to talk about entering into play on the economic models on natural resources, governance, economic model on natural resources. This is the language that the States are in favour of.
It is necessary that a point be added in the declaration on the responsibilities or role of the actors in the implementation of the declaration. It is proposed that the college of international NGOs could be mentioned as having a monitoring role in the implementation of the declaration.
Logistical information on the meeting :
The ECCAS/COMIFAC countries will be represented in Kinshasa by a minister and three experts who will accompany the minister (according to the invitations sent). All ECCAS/COMIFAC countries have received the documents, the draft declaration as well as all the colleges.
The logistical information sheet will be communicated to the participants of the meetings in Kinshasa this week.
Information on the possibility of holding a Visio conference will also be available this week. Not all members will be able to participate. The Co-Leaders will receive more information on the Visio conference shortly to designate the representatives of their college if the number is above 4 already communicated to the Co-Leaders.
The programme for the week includes face-to-face participation from each college.
Methodological proposal and next steps
The minutes and proceedings of the meeting of the International NGO College will be distributed to all participants.
The comments of the College will be annotated in the draft statement. It will not be a question of working on a new draft of the Declaration, but the consultants will note the comments of each college in a transparent manner.
The deadline for colleges to provide comments is 1 December 2020. Any additional comments from the college should be sent to the co-leaders with a copy to the consultants before the deadline: Claus-Michael.Falkenberg@t-online.de, eheuse@gmail.com and dany.pokem@pfbc-cbfp.org.
The draft declaration and the comments of the college annotated to the declaration will be sent by the consultants before the workshop in Kinshasa on the draft declaration.
The co-leaders of the college of international NGOs will represent the college at the Kinshasa meetings.
Today, President Biden invited 40 world leaders to the Leaders’ Summit on Climate he will host on April 22 and 23. The virtual Leaders’ Summit will be live streamed for public viewing.
Brazil says it should receive $10 billion a year in foreign aid, including $1 billion for forests, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, instead of 2060 as currently planned. What about the forest ecosystems of the Congo Basin?
As replacements for outgoing statutory executives, the Extraordinary Council of COMIFAC Ministers have tapped the following as the new statutory executives: Executive Secretary: Mr. Hervé Martial MAIDOU from the Central African Republic; Deputy Executive Secretary-Technical Coordinator: Mr. Chouaibou NCHOUTPOUEN from the Republic of Cameroon; Administrative and Financial Director: Mr. François DAYANG from the Republic of Chad.
The Congo Basin’s forests and peatlands are a major component of Earth’s life-support systems, and it is a key supplier of vital minerals needed to build a low carbon economy. The case for the people of the Congo to benefit from not exploiting these resources is irrefutable.
As part of the ECOFAC 6 capitalization program, and in order to help improve the sharing of information between researchers, policy makers and protected area managers in central Africa, we propose that you answer a questionnaire on the usefulness of research for conservation.
The JRS Biodiversity Foundation is pleased to announce Matthew Cassetta as its new Executive Director. Cassetta brings over two decades of diverse experience in international diplomacy and project management, much of it focused in Africa on capacity-building and development partnerships.
Wildlife: during the month of March, the UICN publicly announced two decisions concerning forest elephants. The first one was declaring the forest elephant (Loxodonta Cyclotis) an altogether different species, as until recently it was merely considered a subspecies. The second decision was declaring this species critically endangered.
The EU is the world’s largest aid donor and a major political actor with a strong influence over global policies. The EU recognises civil society as an essential actor in policy making and implementation, specifically in the development sector.
To read: The German CBFP Facilitation and COMIFAC are preparing for the 2021 Climate and Biodiversity Conferences of the Parties; Report on landmark deforestation events in 2019; The 2021-2025 Operational Plan of COMIFAC Convergence Plan validated...
March 2021 Highlights: Rescued 1 Black-bellied pangolin; Released 1 Black-bellied pangolin back into the wild; Released 19 African grey parrots into the wild; Finished maintenance of Gorilla group 1 night den; Completed phase 1 of the Gorilla re-enrichment project…
Read: Position of European Partners on SIGIF 2 in Cameroon; Only few days left to register for the webinars "The Role of Forest Certification in the EUTR"; ATIBT technical data sheet : quality of plantation species for timber use; "Choosing tropical woods to fight climate change" says Timber Trade Federation...
Read: FLEGT ‘Fitness Check’: Abandoning FLEGT licenses would harm forest governance and the legal timber trade; EU Law on deforestation: Key land rights risk being ignored in DG Environment’s proposal; Could the palm oil arrangement between Indonesia and Switzerland offer lessons for EU and Indonesia free trade agreement negotiations?
The co-facilitators for the negotiated outcome of the 2021 UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development have issued an outline for consideration. The proposed structure includes sections on: the impact of COVID-19 on the 2030 Agenda; progress towards the SDGs under review in 2021; and accelerated actions to achieve the SDGs.
The International Renewable Energy (IRENA) has published a preview of its publication, ‘World Energy Transitions Outlook.’ The report reviews technology choices, investment needs, and socio-economic contexts necessary to set the world on a trajectory towards a sustainable, resilient and inclusive energy future.
From 9 to 13 March the COMIFAC Working Group meetings of the Central African Climate and Biodiversity Negotiators took place in Douala, Cameroon. These two meetings were held at the same time and place, with financial support provided by the German cooperation.
This publication adds to ongoing work by the World Bank Group on how to better design and incorporate fiscal policy within the climate and sustainable development policy mix. The publication shows how various fiscal reforms can positively influence forest conservation while freeing up resources that can be used for national development.
Environmental issues affect us all. As is it, the planet is moving towards a global warming of 3°C by 2100. This is not the future we want. Forests, our first carbon sink within submerged land, are however in critical danger, with the possible savannahisation of the Amazon and tropical forests that could eventually turn into proper CO2 emitters. Faced with these projections, that involve unimaginable socio-economic consequences, our absolute priority can be summed up in a single word: reduction. Reducing our carbon footprint. Reducing deforestation. Reducing the degradation of forests. Reducing them increasingly and continuously.
The world is facing unprecedented economic and environmental challenges. While climate change increasingly poses risks to macroeconomic and fiscal stability, deforestation and forest degradation impair the ability of forests to act as carbon sinks and reduce the resiliency of local communities to climate damages. The loss and decay of forests also threaten global biodiversity, the provision of ecosystem services, and other core ecological functions that economies worldwide rely on.
Fern’s report Beyond commitments: How can Nationally Determined Contributions contribute to forest governance and resilient local communities? looks at progress, challenges, and opportunities in six African countries: Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Liberia, and Republic of the Congo.
The undeniable connection between nature, human health, and economic well-being has become more evident than ever during this time of crisis. Resilience is in our nature: IUCN and its Members are working to ensure a nature-based recovery that can deliver sustainable solutions, providing a foundation for a healthier relationship between humanity and the planet.
As indicated on the Fordaq website, Hans Fahrni, CEO of FACO Construction, is pleased with the effects of the log export ban on the timber industry in Gabon, where the majority of the forest area is FSC-certified (the government's goal is to certify all of them within 4 years).
The ATIBT and the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC) have recently held several online meetings to clarify their common issues for the development of a responsible tropical timber sector. These meetings have been preceded in recent years by annual meetings.
REN21’s Renewables in Cities Global Status Report (REC) series provides an overview of the status, trends and developments of renewable energy in cities, using the most up-to-date information and data available. The REC’s neutral, fact-based approach documents in detail the annual developments in policies, markets, investments and citizen action, with a particular focus on renewables in public, residential and commercial buildings as well as public and private urban transport. This report aims to inform decision makers and to create an active exchange of views and information around urban renewable energy.
The price of deforestation and degradation is enormous, said Robert Nasi, director general of CIFOR and managing director of CIFOR-ICRAF, speaking at the Global Forest Summit.
The crisis provoked by the coronavirus pandemic offers a chance to shift from a fossil-fuel based economy to a nature-based circular bioeconomy, said Britain’s heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles on Friday.
The UK and Norway launched an initiative on sustainable finance that will serve as a platform for British and Norwegian financial institutions to share knowledge and best practices focused on actionable climate solutions in the financial sector and explore the regulatory frameworks and investment decisions that would be necessary to achieve a zero-emissions economy.
The post-2020 global biodiversity framework (GBF) took center stage at the informal meeting in preparation for the third meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI-3), convened by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
UN-Water convened a three-day event to discuss accelerating progress towards water and sanitation for all by 2030, and a report that indicates ambitions for 2030 remain off-track. Participants were briefed on the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework, upcoming high-level events on water, and the preparatory process for the 2023 UN conference for the midterm review of the Water Action Decade.
The pandemic has tragically claimed millions of lives and placed countries in complete economic and social lockdown, with the threat of a global recession looming. But the pandemic is not just an immediate human health crisis; it also poses a long-term socio-economic ramifications for people who depend on natural resources such as timber, fisheries and wildlife.
This Sunday, 21 March, is the United Nations International Day of Forests (IDF), intended to celebrate and raise global awareness of the importance of forests. The theme is "Forest restoration: a path to recovery and well-being", a cause that Fern championed in our recent report looking at how rights-based forest restoration can empower communities, recover biodiversity, and tackle the climate crisis. It also explained that forest restoration must never be used to greenwash other sectors' lack of action towards climate objectives.
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) and its partners have signed implementation agreements for two new climate finance projects only hours after they were approved by the GCF Board.
Elon Musk tweeted earlier this year that he would be "donating $100 million towards a prize for best carbon capture technology”. Out of 600 thousand likes and retweets, twenty thousand corresponded to a brilliant solution: “A tree”. The Tesla boss responded that trees were, indeed, part of the solution, but that we may require something that is “ultra-large-scale industrial in 10 to 20 years”. The sense of acting ‘urgently’ and at ‘scale’ are clearly central to the concepts of innovations announced in his offer.
19. February 2020 | In the past, Germany has been among the more ambitious providers of financial assistance to developing countries’ efforts to adapt to a changing climate and cut or avoid greenhouse gas emissions.
The findings and recommendations in this Toolkit were identified based on a meta-review of program evaluations and scholarly research in French and English, supplemented by a series of key informant interviews with program implementers. The Toolkit was validated through review by an Advisory Council of external civil society practitioners and researchers as well as practitioners from Search for Common Ground’s field offices across the Sudano-Sahel (Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Nigeria, Niger, South Sudan, Sudan).
Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ message for the International Day of Forests, observed on 21 March: Humanity’s well-being is inextricably linked to the health of our planet. Forests play a crucial role.