203. Central Africa Forest Initiative: African leaders’ solution to meet the climate and poverty challenge: 10:15am – 11:15am

Event time: 10:15am — 11:15am
Location: Park Hub West, Convene, 101 Park Avenue
Event organizer: Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI); Government of Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Cameroon, CAR, Equatorial Guinea

Central Africa is home to the second largest tropical forest basin in the world, i.e. the surface of Western Europe and 90% of Africa’s dense humid forests. It stores the equivalent of about 70 billion tons of carbon (equivalent to 5-10 years of global emissions), 30% of which is in peatlands, provides food, medicine, shelter and fuel for 60 million people living in forests or proximity and 40 million living in urban centers are dependent on the forest.

It maintains regional rainfall patterns both in the region and in remote locations (such as West Africa and the Sahel). Agriculture and hydropower generation in large parts of Africa depend on Central African forests. The current incentive system is not conducive to the preservation of this forest and responses developed thus far have mainly focused on commodity-driven deforestation instead of addressing this phenomenon through supporting millions of rural households in more efficient and sustainable production.

The countries of the region have some of the lowest deforestation rates in the world but receive only a fraction of climate finance. The event, through presentations by senior representatives of governments, NGOs, private sector and partners, will present and provide an opportunity to discuss:

The importance and values of this forest
The commitments made by the countries including donors
The results achieved and opportunities to develop a new paradigm in sustainable forest management.

Partners/Sponsors: UNDP, UN-REDD Programme, Civil society organizations from Central Africa, AFD, CAFI donor govts, Global Peatlands Initiative, AFR100