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UNFCCC

�ճ����, convened by the UNFCCC COP Presidency, Fiji, aimed to take stock of the collective efforts made by countries to date in meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement��and to inform the preparation of their future Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The dialogue was structured around 3 questions – ‘Where are we?’;��‘Where do we want to go?’; and��‘How do we get there?’. Participating in the session on ‘Where are we?’, ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� highlighted��the significant risks that climate change was currently posing not only to vulnerable nations and communities, but also to the world’s ecosystems, and called for early and ambitious action on climate change, involving all levels and sectors of society.��

In his intervention, Dr Sandeep Sengupta��– Global Coordinator of ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ��'s climate change portfolio��– recalled the ��latestWorld Heritage Outlook report, which found that the number of natural World Heritage Sites threatened by climate change has nearly doubled over the last 3 years, and also noted that more than 80% of the ecological processes that form the foundation for life on Earth are being impacted by climate change today.

At the same time, ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� drew particular attention to the critical role that conserving, restoring and sustainably managing the world’s ecosystems can play in providing practical nature-based solutions for both climate change mitigation and adaptation, as evidenced in recent analyses by ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� and its members.

It also drew attention to the potential that exists for countries to further enhance the ambition of their future NDCs through nature-based solutions. A recent analysis conducted by ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ����showed, for instance, that even though 77% of NDCs submitted to date contained references to forests, only 20% of those include quantifiable targets, and only 8% include targets expressed in terms CO2 reduction or avoidance.

������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� also highlighted��the��Bonn Challenge, an initiative that it has championed in recent years as a practical nature-based solution. This is a multi-partner initiative which aims to bring 350 million hectares of deforested and degraded land into restoration by 2030.��Estimates suggest that achieving the Bonn Challenge target could sequester between 1 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 each year and generate annual benefits worth US$ 170 billion from other ecosystem services -��a real opportunity for unlocking the untapped mitigation potential of ecosystems.

Lastly, ������ϲʿ�������ֳ�ֱ�� took the opportunity to draw attention to the vital role that local communities – particularly women and indigenous peoples – are playing as stewards of these valuable natural resources on the ground. As they are the ones most often at the frontline of climate change impact and action, it stressed that it was critical that their needs and concerns be always taken into account.

For more information contact: [email protected]��