CEEweb for Biodiversity’s Post

Canadian wildfires (and similar fires in other places) are an excellent example of why we need more sustainable management of forestlands in a changing climate. Sustainable management is not free, but if we promote the use of wood-based products and services through suitable policy designs, private capital can be channelized not just to take care of forestlands (e.g., prescribed burning) but also to support local communities, build resilient economies at all scales, and meet regional and global environmental needs, including but not limited to, mitigating climate change. The issue is that, by default, the societal perception of private capital is negative (e.g., deforestation, erosion, poor working conditions, etc.) primarily due to the historical context. However, using market-based instruments (e.g., certification) could solve this extractive behavior. These instruments are standard in the Global North, and their use will pick up in the Global South soon with some more concerted efforts. We need everyone to support sustainable forestry so that forests can help us solve our most pressing problems.

On November 14, the European Parliament will decide if Europe’s forests can keep waiting during their fight to survive against climate change and human consumption, or if the EU will finally do its job and enforce the anti-deforestation law that they proposed, discussed and passed themselves already last year. In other words, the EP is voting on the @EU Commission’s proposed 1-year delay to the application of the EU #Deforestation Regulation (#EUDR). The EUDR was a groundbreaking achievement for climate action and nature protection both in the EU and the rest of the world. We celebrated last year as it set due diligence obligations for operators to combat deforestation and forest degradation which are happening at alarming rates all over the world. It was adopted with wide support from national governments and members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who answered the call of millions of EU citizens to act and better protect forest ecosystems worldwide. Responsible businesses have set up their process to comply. Irresponsible ones have gone on a misinformation and scaremongering lobby drive, and the EC has caved in proposing a delay. Delaying this law just gives a green light for business-as-usual destruction, fuelling the climate and biodiversity crises and endangering precious ecosystems. To make it worse, the @EPP is piling on last-minute amendments to water down the law even more, narrowing its scope and undermining everything the EUDR was meant to achieve. They’re saying it’s about “cutting bureaucracy,” but let’s be real: the EUDR is no tougher than the outdated Timber Regulation it’s replacing. The EUDR simply plugs the loopholes that let industries run wild with forest destruction. One of the tricks they are proposing is to label countries in the “insignificant risk” category if their forest area development remained stable or increased compared to 1990. This is absurd. Forests are facing severe degradation since they are turned into planted forests or even worse, plantations. Loss of old growth and natural forests is not compensated by the regrowth of young forests, let alone the establishment of monoculture plantations. The European Parliament must reject this delay and hold the line on protecting our forests. And if these last-minute amendments somehow make it through, the EU Commission needs to stand firm and withdraw the proposal. Europe can’t afford any more backpedalling on forests, biodiversity, and climate; and it cannot afford more greenwashing of destruction. The Cinnamon-rumped Trogon is one of a myriad of of species threated by deforestation for the production of commodities that can find their way to the EU market.

EUDR Update: Following pushback from business groups and some producer countries, the European Commission (EC) has proposed that the implementation of EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) be delayed by 12 months. If the proposal is accepted the new deadline for implementation will be 30 Dec 2025 for most businesses, and 30 June 2026 for small/micro-enterprises. At the same time, the EC has published the highly anticipated FAQs: https://lnkd.in/e2bi8gPg and implementation guidance: https://lnkd.in/e-Hg8XtT. The proposal for an extended phase-in period does not call for any changes to the actual requirements which is welcome. If the proposal is accepted, it is still vitally important that all businesses and organisations continue to move as quickly as possible towards implementation and finding solutions to the existing barriers. This is essential to both protect the world's forests, and ensure businesses are able to comply with legislation. *The need for legislation for forests and climate is more urgent than ever* Regardless of whether the proposal for extension is accepted, we call on the EU to provide urgent support to smallholders and engage in multi-stakeholder conversations with producer countries, to ensure EUDR works to deliver a just climate transition. Soil Association Certification will continue to work hard to ensure we are able to support companies with #EUDR, and deliver trusted solutions with nature, for people and planet.

Last year, REDD+ was at the forefront of environmental discussions, raising questions and sparking debate. Originating from the Coalition for Rainforest Nations (CfRN) in 2005, REDD+ aimed to bolster national efforts towards mitigating tropical deforestation under the UNFCCC, aligning with Article 5.2 of the Paris Agreement. Despite its critical role, REDD+ has been caught in a whirlwind of controversy, particularly within the voluntary carbon markets (VCM). Reports by reputable sources like The Guardian, Science Journal, and Bloomberg have highlighted issues of environmental integrity and financial irregularities within the VCM. It's crucial to note that these voluntary forestry carbon projects, though they use the name "REDD+," lack any methodological or legal ties to the Paris Agreement's REDD+ framework and the UNFCCC. These projects, often private sector initiatives, cover only small areas of rainforest, leading to questions about their actual impact. Furthermore, they frequently operate without the necessary oversight and approval from the host governments of rainforest nations, diverging significantly from the structured and accountable approach of the UNFCCC REDD+ framework. As discussions around environmental integrity and carbon market reform continue, it's essential to distinguish between the pioneering work of CfRN and the unrelated practices within the voluntary carbon markets. Our commitment remains unwavering: to support rainforest nations in their efforts to slow, stop, and reverse deforestation, driving meaningful environmental progress under the robust framework of UNFCCC REDD+.

This #EarthDay marks an important milestone as we celebrate the first anniversary of the #AIM4Forests programme, a partnership spearheaded by FAO with the support of the #UnitedKingdom Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.     💡 Over the past year, #OpenForis has been instrumental in enhancing forest monitoring capabilities across the globe.    AIM4Forests key contributions are:  🌍 Enhanced forest monitoring in 11 countries  🎓 Supported the training of 1,268 individuals, including women and members of #IndigenousPeoples 📚 Aided in engaging 4,677 e-learners with innovative tools  🛠️ Launched 3 new #OpenForis #solutions that revolutionize the way #ForestData is collected and analyzed    Our technology is at the forefront of tackling #deforestation and promoting forest restoration, ensuring data accuracy and accessibility for sustainable forestry practices.    👉🏻 Read more about #AIM4Forest first: https://bit.ly/A4FOneyear    👉🏻 Learn more about our impact and explore our initiatives in the AIM4Forests Impact Report: https://bit.ly/A4FImpact    #ForestConservation #ClimateAction #SustainableForestry #Forestry #GenerationRestoration  Julian Fox Till Neeff Marieke Sandker Ghislaine Z.D. Gill Rocío Dánica Cóndor-Golec Pilar Valbuena Perez Vanessa Vertiz

The impact of climate change, improper land use, and pollution on nature is undeniable. Given that nature underpins around $44 trillion of global GDP—over half the total—corporate interest is swiftly growing. Legislation in Europe now requires banks and other institutions to reveal their exposure to environmental risks. According to a recent analysis by BCG, this directive should be seen as an opportunity rather than just a regulatory necessity. Investments in nature are not only crucial for environmental conservation but also present a lucrative opportunity for businesses, potentially unlocking trillions of dollars. This analysis projects that the private sector will need to invest approximately $1.2 trillion annually in nature-based solutions by 2030. For pioneering banks, this initiative could result in an additional $250 million in revenue. Examples of entities taking the lead include: ✔️ @Rabobank's partnership with the @UN Environment Program to create a sustainable agriculture fund. ✔️ The collaboration between @Goldman Sachs, @Apple, and @Conservation International in establishing the $200 million Restore Fund dedicated to forestry conservation. ✔️ @Bank of America's facilitation of an arrangement with @The Nature Conservancy, which supported Gabon in dedicating $125 million to ocean conservation efforts. Read our new article here: https://lnkd.in/e7iW6cFB Thank you for the deep insight, Roy Choudhury, Torsten Kurth, Eri Beetz (Shehu), Lucyann Murray, Pilar Pedrinelli, and Em Cruz!

Great clarification of the differences between Voluntary Carbon Markets and those sanctioned and under the guidance of the Paris Treaty and the UNFCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).

This spring the Danish Council on Climate Change (Klimarådet) published a report analyzing potential scenarios of future land-use in Denmark, with important messages for policy coordination and implementation. The report was in Danish, but now we have a solid extended summary available for you in English - see link below. Key message: In the report, we investigated interactions between pursuing different policy goals; notably #biodiversity #conservation, reduced #nitrogen loss to Danish water bodies and the #climate #mitigation role of #landusechange. Using a model from University of Copenhagen (Københavns Universitet) designed for #costeffectiveness evaluations of environmental policies targeting land-use change, we showed that there are indeed important interactions between these policy goals. Crucially: Because impacts from land-use change measures on biodiversity conservation and nitrogen leakage are much more spatially specific, than are climate mitigation impacts of the measures, a solid approach would do well, by first accounting for the former two - and then reap the resulting win-win on climate mitigation, before scaling the latter to desired size. https://lnkd.in/d_xqMW7n

AI2Peat's PeatSense is not a platform for domain experts only. PeatSense is open for all, with the intent to contribute to the increase of societal awareness of peatlands and the role they play in climate change, biodiversity preservation, water quality, drought alleviation etc. That's why I am super happy to launch PeatSense's News! Every week (more or less) we will update the page with fresh new peatland news. Go check it out! - peatsense.org - ai2peat.ie

📣📣 In the midst of the climate crisis, there is an ongoing debate of people vs climate. Conservation International knows success means people AND climate, if we are to have any chance of achieving scale, and our climate ambitions. 🌍 Exciting to see new research from CI colleagues suggesting that we can protect our food production while increasing carbon sequestration – in the same landscapes.  It’s an innovative approach but drawn from ancient practices.   Read more about the findings and the potential benefits of ‘trees in agriculture’ 👇 Starry Sprenkle-Hyppolite, Ph.D. Trillion Trees - BirdLife, WCS, WWF https://lnkd.in/ewrXZhy2