Focusing on Financing, Restoration, and Integrated Fire Management, the Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission Concludes

June 30, 2023, Ecuador - Between June 26 and 30, Ecuador hosted the 33rd Latin American and Caribbean Forestry Commission (LACFC) meeting. This commission serves as an advisory body to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), guiding the focus areas the Organization's forestry program should address in the region.

The meeting convened authorities from the forestry services of Latin American and Caribbean countries. The objective was to analyze regionally significant forestry issues and foster knowledge sharing and exchange of experiences.

A key issue underscored at this latest gathering was the critical role of financing and forest investments in practices that protect and restore ecosystems. Such practices encourage sustainable, inclusive, green, and resilient development.

The funds allocated towards sustainable forest management, sound agricultural practices considering biological corridors, and landscape restoration must be increased. The cost of dealing with the consequences of deforestation could triple by 2030 or even quadruple by 2050 unless immediate actions are taken.

"Climate and environmental financing is considered crucial to stimulate investments in forest protection and restoration. Many countries have developed national strategies for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) and have highlighted the potential of forests to limit the global temperature rise," explained Pieter Van Lierop, FAO Forestry Officer.

In response to this challenge, the FAO has played a key role in helping member countries access crucial financing. Through the Green Climate Fund (GCF), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and other donors, support has been provided to countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Paraguay to mobilize millions of dollars in financing.

Forest Restoration to Tackle Environmental Challenges

Another key theme at the Commission meeting was the collaborative efforts of the FAO and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) towards the execution of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

In January 2022, the Decade issued an appeal for nations to propose their Global Restoration Flagship Initiatives. This call elicited 154 expressions of interest alongside 73 government- sponsored proposals.

The top 10 initiatives were selected from this pool during the United Nations Biodiversity Conference (COP 15). FAO has offered its support in creating and realizing various flagship initiatives, including a publication targeting the Central American Dry Corridor. To consolidate efforts, the FAO has engaged in cooperative meetings to identify synergies and promote collaboration between the activities under the United Nations Decade and the 20x20 Initiative, which seeks to safeguard and rehabilitate 50 million hectares of forests, farms, grasslands, and other landscapes by 2030. Notably, in San Pedro, Belize, the focus was on addressing best practices and monitoring issues.

"Through these initiatives and collaborations, the aim is to address environmental challenges and promote the implementation of sustainable practices that contribute to the conservation, use, and restoration of forests and a more resilient future," Van Lierop detailed.

Integrated Fire Management

In a strategic response to this crisis, the Expert Group on Forest Fires was instituted in collaboration with the FAO, underpinned by the support of the Joint Research Center. The purpose of this group is to facilitate the exchange of experiences and lessons learned in the realm of fire management.

United Nations organizations in the region are working together to develop a common approach based on the Sendai Framework for fire management. In this regard, the FAO is leading the preparation of an assessment of the United Nations Thematic Coalition on Climate Change and Resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean.

These efforts are directed towards Integrated Fire Management under the 5R approach, which highlights the importance of reviewing and analyzing fires to understand their causes and spread while identifying opportunities to reduce the risk of forest fires.

In Latin America and the Caribbean is estimated that, on average, about 60 million hectares are burned each year, and it is projected that this figure will increase to about 80 million hectares by the year 2020.

So far this year, from January to April, approximately 8 million hectares have been burned, with extreme fires in countries like Chile, where nearly 600,000 hectares have already been lost, even though the fire season has not yet begun in most of the countries in the region.

"Integrated fire management, considering the new scenarios associated with climate change, and the implementation of effective prevention and response strategies, with an integral and holistic approach, is fundamental to reducing the impact of forest fires and protecting the region's valuable ecosystems and biodiversity," concluded the FAO Officer.