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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.
The GIZ Support Project to the BSB YAMOUSSA complex, in collaboration with the Lamidat of Rey Bouba, proposes to organize a sub-regional forum of direct local actors of transboundary transhumance and traditional stakeholders from the grassroots communities, with a view to exchanging, sharing experiences and reflecting on the construction of dialogue in favour of a peaceful transhumance.
In this letter to the Slovenian and French Presidencies of the EU, 42 civil society networks and organisations from countries across Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America call on the European Union (EU) to strengthen support to the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade (FLEGT) Regulation and its Voluntary Partnership Agreements (VPAs), the EU’s key legal instruments to fight illegal logging, and the associated trade.
This is a second polite reminder to let you know we are conducting an anonymous evaluation funded by the World Resources Institute (WRI) of forest monitoring information and tools, and their usefulness, with a particular focus on Global Forest Watch (GFW), and stakeholder perspectives.
The German CBFP Facilitation has commissioned a package of 6 thematic studies on pertinent issues in Congo Basin forest politics (namely REDD+ in the Congo Basin, Land Use Planning, Transhumance, Ecotourism, Sustainable value chains, China´s role in Central African forestry) as well as an overarching synthesis study. Each study consists of a full study report as well as a short policy brief. Please download the CBFP Study Package…
...In addition to this effort at the global policy level, the facilitation commissioned six thematic studies related to specific opportunities and challenges for the forests of the Congo Basin and the people who depend directly on the products, biodiversity and ecosystem services the forests provide. The six studies and a policy brief for each study were prepared between December 2020 and August 2021. They focus on the following topics...
Over the last 10 to 15 years, China has increasingly taken note of the potential environmental and forest impacts of its overseas trade, investment and other economic activities. However, timber trade between China and Africa has so far not met the requirements of international legality and sustainability standards. Furthermore, China is highly involved in investment and construction of infrastructure projects that may have caused forest conversion due to a lack of comprehensive, effective management measures and a lack of environmental impact analyses.
This study was performed with the intent of understanding the challenges to developing eco-tourism in the Congo Basin, and of identifying actions and recommendations to overcome these challenges. A background study of the existing literature, research articles, reports and national strategies (where available) was performed to ascertain the political strategies and academic understanding of ecotourism in the region.
Conclusions and outlook: Adapted local LUP processes can serve as a foundation for securing tenure, reducing social conflicts between external and local actors, or even within forest adjacent communities meeting the SDGs, implementing REDD+ and operationalizing the many commitments to zero deforestation commodity production.
This study was carried out to shed light on issues related to this activity and provide basic knowledge of various aspects relating to livestock rearing, neo-pastoralism and unsustainable transhumance. The study area covers the Sudano-Sahelian region of Africa – specifically, the area stretching from the northern fringes of the Congo Basin (Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic) and the south-eastern part of the southern Lake Chad Basin, namely the Sudano-Guinean savanna mosaics. The methodology adopted was to collect data from various sources, including from key stake-holders and literature review.
The first case study is dedicated to the spectacular policy announcement by Gabon that it would make FSC timber certification mandatory from 2022 onwards for all concessionaires willing to keep operating in the country. Such certification is relatively advanced in Gabon and this unprecedented policy stands as an intriguing and promising example in the region. The second case study relates to a prominent approach that has emerged and grown over the last decade, namely corporate zero-deforestation commitments. This is complementary to the first case study as it refers to a process initiated by the private sector itself, and we apply it to the oil palm sector in Cameroon. For the third case study, we move to the importation side of things with the most advanced policy effort to take action in consuming countries, namely the French National Strategy against Imported Deforestation (SNDI).
The report draws on a thorough review of the available literature. It is complemented by 21 semi-structured anonymous interviews with key REDD+ experts. The authors conducted the interviews between November 2020 and February 2021. Interview partners include represent-atives of Congo Basin countries, donor states, academia, NGOs and independent technical experts. Instead of going to lengths in elucidating the entire range of options for reducing deforestation and forest degradation, the study report lists concrete courses of action which might be pursued in the future.
To read: Governments meet to consider ambitious GEF replenishment; GEF CEO statement for side event at UN General Assembly; GEF supports innovative Food Securities Fund; 'You cannot see forests in isolation'…
Berlin, Germany, 07 September 2021 - Congo Basin Forests Day: Presenting the Statement, Common Position on a "Fair Deal" for the conservation of tropical forests and signing of a Memorandum.
Africa's priorities within the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) were set out in July 2021 just after the Bonn Climate Conference (UNFCCC inter-sessional). These priorities are as follows...
UN Climate Change News, 17 September 2021 – UN Climate Change today published a synthesis of climate action plans as communicated in countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The NDC Synthesis report indicates that while there is a clear trend that greenhouse gas emissions are being reduced over time, nations must urgently redouble their climate efforts if they are to prevent global temperature increases beyond the Paris Agreement’s goal of well below 2C – ideally 1.5C – by the end of the century.
UN Climate Change News, 30 September 2021 – Africa Climate Week 2021 wrapped up this week with Virtual Thematic Sessions helping to set the scene for more ambitious regional action to tackle climate change ahead of the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow in November.
UN Climate Change News, 5 October 2021 – Faith leaders representing the world’s major religions yesterday joined scientists at the Vatican to call on the international community to raise their ambition and step up their climate action ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in November in Glasgow. Almost 40 faith leaders signed a joint Appeal, which was presented by Pope Francis to COP26 President-Designate, the Rt Hon Alok Sharma, and the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Luigi Di Maio.
Dear Stakeholder. We are conducting an anonymous evaluation funded by the World Resources Institute (WRI) of forest monitoring information and tools, and their usefulness, with a particular focus on Global Forest Watch (GFW), and stakeholder perspectives.
Bonn, 28 September 2021 – The winners of prestigious 2021 Land for Life Award of the United Nations have been honored at an international forum for their innovation in land restoration and conservation methods that promote the well-being of communities and improve their relationship with nature.
Bonn, 29 September 2021 – Two new guidance documents have been released today: a revised and upgraded version of Good Practice Guidance for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 15.3.1 and new Good Practice Guidance for national reporting on UNCCD strategic objective 3.
The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) has published a report providing a global assessment of transboundary climate risks in agricultural commodity flows. Its authors explain that the material risk posed to food security, particularly in low-income, import-dependent countries, is such that adaptation to transboundary climate risk becomes a matter of public policy.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has released its annual Goalkeepers Report, which tracks progress on 18 SDG indicators and reflects on trends influencing the Goals. In the introduction to the 2021 Goalkeepers report, titled ‘Innovation and Inequity,’ Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates write that the past year has shown that “progress is possible but not inevitable. The effort we put in matters a great deal.” The report aims to highlight learnings from the successes and failures of the pandemic so far.
A new study conducted by scientists from the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), and partner organizations shows that charcoal producers have little or no support to engage in the replanting of trees, which could lead to a lower rate of deforestation in the already tree-scarce areas where most charcoal is produced.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and UN partners have published a compendium of 500 actions to reduce death and diseases driven by environmental risk factors. The publication states that almost 25% of deaths worldwide could be prevented by fully implementing these actions.
The vast forests of the world’s largest tropical island are populated by exotic birds of paradise, kingfishers, parrots, raptors and pigeons – these species representing just a handful of almost 750 that have so far been identified.
Governments, companies and other organizations offered more than 200 commitments at the world’s first food systems summit aimed at addressing unequal access to food in a more sustainable, healthier and equitable way.
The latest ‘Still Only One Earth’ policy brief from IISD looks back at when “the world was struck with fear” in 1985 after scientists discovered a massive hole in the ozone that forms a protective layer over the Earth. The brief reviews the steps taken to heal the ozone layer through two intergovernmental agreements – the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer – and what else must be done. It also highlights lessons for addressing climate change.
Jointly organized by COMIFAC, CBFP, GIZ, CAFI and IUCN, as part of the Congo Basin Special Day at the World Conservation Congress, a high-level session on the Congo Basin, was held from 2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m on 05/09/2021., at the SPACE CENTER, Exhibition HALL 3.
In a world emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) World Conservation Congress successfully highlighted the dual existential crises the planet faces: climate change and biodiversity collapse.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) summit ended in Marseille on Friday, September 10, 7 days after its inauguration. A number of ATIBT members participated, sometimes with a stand. It was above all a return to direct meetings between many people who had only seen each other through screens for many months!
Dubai WoodShow has been the leading trade show for the wood and woodworking machinery sectors since 2005. The show has established its position in the Middle East region as the most dynamic platform for the wood and woodworking professionals.
Deforestation continues at a worrying pace worldwide, except in temperate and boreal countries. It is caused by the race for land, underpinned by population growth and rising global demand for “deforestation-prone” products. Moreover, with climate change, mega-fires are now posing unprecedented threats to forests.
The Marseille Manifesto aims to capture a limited number of key messages that are globally and currently relevant and which relate to the Congress proceedings, including any notable and important commitments and announcements that emerged from Congress events. The focus is on the post-Covid recovery, the biodiversity crisis and climate emergency.
Jointly organized by COMIFAC, the CBFP, GIZ, CAFI and the IUCN, as part of the Congo Basin Special Day at the World Conservation Congress, a second high-level session on the preservation of the Congo Basin’s ecosystems took place on 05/09/2021 at 6:00 p.m. local time at the PAVILLON NATURE BASE SOLUTION, Exhibition HALL 3.
Following four busy and inspirational days of work, the Forum concluded its deliberations. During another bustling day, participants attended thematic sessions and high-level dialogues during the morning. In the afternoon, seven thematic plenaries outlined the main take-home messages from the Forum’s discussions, followed by the official Forum closing plenary.
