Promoting regional cooperation

FAO uses regional analyses on forests and climate change to stinulate dialogue among countries on priority areas for regional cooperation. FAO assists in the development of programmes and the securing of financial of financial support for regional and sub-regional cooperative projects. Dialogue and co-operation at the regional level is an essential complement to the efforts of individual countries to develop appropriate responses to climate change. The Forest and Climate Change Programme is undertaking and supporting action on a number of levels.

Regional workshop on forests, rangelands and climate change

FAO has together with partners conducted regional workshops on forests, rangelands and climate change aimed at taking stock of countries ongoing efforts related to forests, rangelands and climate change and to identify priorities for cooperative work. Please find below the link to the workshop pages:

• Forest management and climate change in Europe 21-23 April 2015, Bialowieza, Poland
• Sustainable ecosystem management for adaptation to climate change and livelihoods improvement in the Nile Basin
  20-22 September, 2011, Cairo, Egypt
• Forests, rangelands and climate change adaptation in Southern Africa
  17-19 June, 2013 Johannesburg, South Africa 
• Forests, rangelands and climate change in the Near East Region
  20-22 September, 2011, Cairo, Egypt 

Regional Analyses on Forest and Climate Change

FAO has carried out regional analyses of forests and climate in three regions: Near East, Asia-Pacific and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. It is the intention to conduct similar analyses for other regions. The analyses give a thorough summary of the observed and expected impacts of climate change on forests in the regions. The major issues and developments related to forests and climate change responses in the regions are examined. International, regional and national climate change developments specific to forestry are assessed and opportunities for national and regional action to address gaps and needs highlighted. The analyses from the three regions will feed into a process of identifying opportunities for regional collaboration on forests and climate change, with a particular emphasis on adaptation.

To download the three regional analyses, click here

FAO is a partner in the project on adapting forest policy conditions to climate change in the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region which is a German funded project carried out in conjunction with Silva Mediterranea, one of FAO’s statutory bodies. The aim of the project is to improve the political frame conditions for the sustainable management of forest ecosystems in order to preserve forest related environmental services in the face of climate change in selected countries of the MENA region that have sizable forest areas (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon).

Regional Forestry Commissions Deliberations on Climate Change

FAO’s six Regional Forestry Commissions (RFC) meet every two years to bring together the countries’ Heads of Forestry to discuss key forestry issues in their respective regions. The Commissions seek to foster regional cooperation on forests and to serve as a link between global dialogue (e.g. at FAO’s Committee on Forestry, UNFF and other forestry related fora) and national implementation.

Climate change has been discussed frequently during the last several sessions of the Commissions. Secretariat Notes, presentations and Commissions’ recommendations relating to climate change from sessions in 2009 and 2010 can be found here:

• RFC 2010 - Climate Change

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