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XV World Forestry Congress

High-level roundtable - Peace Forest Initiative ©IISD/ENB | Diego Noguera

High-level roundtable on the Peace Forest Initiative

May 3, 2022 | 12:30 PM KST - 2:00 PM KST

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Launched during the fourteenth session of the Conference of Parties (COP 14) of the UNCCD in 2019, the Peace Forest Initiative (PFI) is an innovative global initiative to promote transborder cooperation and collaboration on ecosystem restoration in fragile and conflict-affected situations. The Initiative was welcomed and supported by the UNCCD Parties at COP14, highlighting its potential contribution to achieving and increasing cooperation on land degradation neutrality (LDN, SDG 15.3), including land restoration and reforestation in transborder areas.

The PFI aims to function as a platform to facilitate cooperation and collaboration on ecosystem restoration in cross-border areas to further peace and stability in the world and support the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030). It provides an opportunity to leverage common ecosystem restoration targets and commitments, including LDN, through joint project development and implementation on the ground. The PFI could serve as a flagship initiative for the UN Decades on Action and Restoration in demonstrating the linkages between ecosystem restoration, including sustainable land and forest management, and peace and security (SDG 16).

Objectives

The high-level roundtable will demonstrate and promote the PFI’s goal and vision. It is expected to consolidate partnerships and commitments for advancing the Initiative. The focus of the roundtable discussions will include strategic guidance for future activities of the PFI, such as pilot project ideas, exploration of new potential linkages between sustainable ecosystem management, including land, forest and water restoration, and dispute resolution mechanisms of wider security issues. The key outcome of the event will be delivered to other global fora, including UNCCD’s Conference of Parties (COP) as a contribution to harnessing commitment for ecosystem restoration.