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Digging for water in a dry riverbed,
by DFID

COP26 Glasgow: some implications for African forests and lands©

The Glasgow Climate Pact

COP26’s main outcome document – The Glasgow Climate Pact – is the first global climate deal to state explicitly that fossil-fuel consumption is a major driver of climate change, and it sets out a plan to reduce the use of coal to generate electricity. In addition to the wealth of statements and declarations listed in the official COP26 Outcomes, the Pact includes the key provision that countries will be required to set new emissions targets in 2022 that are in line with the need to keep temperature rises below 1.5°C.
Read more from the source: The Glasgow Climate Pact

Talking about impact on nature critical in commodity supply chains

Kate Dooley, writing in The Conversation, examines how nature was reflected in the Glasgow Climate Pact. She notes, for example, that “twenty-eight of the largest consumer and producer countries of beef, soy, cocoa and palm oil discussed a roadmap for action – Forest, Agriculture and Commodity Trade Dialogue – identifying areas of work to tackle deforestation in commodity supply chains”. Seven African countries are among the 28 supporters. Dooley contends that such recognition of nature’s role “is critical to enhance the inclusion of ecosystem restoration in countries’ climate commitments”.
Read more from the source: COP26: experts react to the UN climate summit and Glasgow Pact

The Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use

The Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use is the latest and some say most determined high-level attempt to halt and reverse global forest loss by 2030. Lauded for its current 130 signatories, the pledge emphasizes ‘’the interdependent roles of forests of all types, biodiversity and sustainable land use in enabling the world to meet its sustainable development goals’’ … and urges “all leaders to join forces in a sustainable land use transition. This is essential to meeting the Paris Agreement goals.’’ Finance will be pivotal to the Declaration’s ambition to transition to a new global economy, with key indicators being to:

Reaffirm international financial commitments and significantly increase finance and investment from a wide variety of public and private sources, while also improving its effectiveness and accessibility, to enable sustainable agriculture, sustainable forest management, forest conservation and restoration, and support for Indigenous Peoples and local communities;

Facilitate the alignment of financial flows with international goals to reverse forest loss and degradation, while ensuring robust policies and systems are in place to accelerate the transition to an economy that is resilient and advances forest, sustainable land use, biodiversity and climate goals. (emphasis added)

NEW ENDORSEMENTS SINCE 10/11/21: The Holy See, Nicaragua, Singapore, Turkmenistan
% OF FOREST COVERED BY ENDORSERS: 90.94%
HECTARES OF FOREST COVERED BY ENDORSERS: 3,691,510,640
SQUARE MILES OF FOREST COVERED BY ENDORSERS: 14,252,996
Total: 141

Whether this will be new or re-badged existing funds remains to be seen. For Africa with 26 percent of land classified as forest, increased funding will be crucial for the sustainable management of this valuable resource.

No easing up for global forests

The report of a new FAO survey launched at COP26 has revealed that, despite a slowdown in deforestation, global forests are still under pressure, with agricultural expansion the cause of almost 90% of deforestation. The first results of the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 Remote Sensing Survey reveal that, in Africa, conversion to cropland is the driver of about 75% of forest loss, followed by livestock grazing at less than 20%.
Read from the source: COP26: Agricultural expansion drives almost 90 percent of global deforestation

Public–private agenda proposes billions to transform agriculture

Several African nations and research and academic institutes are among the 160 allies of The Global Action Agenda for Innovation in Agriculture, which also includes UN entities, the World Economic Forum and CGIAR. Seeking “to mobilise over USD5 billion in financing to transform agriculture for people, nature and the climate”, the Agenda aims “to increase investment in agricultural research and innovation to create more climate-resilient, low-emission technologies and practice… and to “promote public-private partnerships that deploy these innovations on the scale needed to meet the climate and food security challenge.”
Read from the source: The Global Action Agenda for Innovation in Agriculture

Pledges aplenty

Global Forest Finance Pledge

African forestry is expected to be among the beneficiaries of a new Global Forest Finance Pledge announced at COP26. According to COP26 final documents, 11 countries and the European Union have pledged to provide USD 12 billion for forest-related climate finance “to help unleash the potential of forests and sustainable land use”. Working closely with private-sector finance, the money will be disbursed between 2021 and 2025.

In addition, as reported by CNN, US House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has proposed legislation to bolster US President Biden’s commitment at COP26 to end and reverse deforestation with a bill – “America Mitigating and Achieving Zero-emissions Originating from Nature for the 21st Century” – that would create a USD9 billion trust fund at the State Department to be used “to roll out bilateral forest conservation efforts in tandem with developing nations across the globe”.

Financial support for forest protection and indigenous and forest peoples’ tenure rights

Twenty-three governmental and private donors have committed USD 1.7 billion between 2021 and 2025 to “support the advancement of Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ forest tenure rights and greater recognition and rewards for their role as guardians of forests and nature”,and called on donors “to significantly increase their support to this important agenda.”

Hot risks and benefits for African countries in methane reduction

The EU and America-backed Global Methane Pledge counts 23 African countries among 105 signatories committing to reduce methane emissions by at least 30% from 2020 to 2030, “to keep the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach”.As reported in Health Policy Watch and citing UNEP’s Global Methane Assessment, oil gas and livestock produce the highest methane emissions in Africa, with livestock alone accounting for 32% of those by humans and animals. But methane also offers potential. When captured from livestock manure, landfills and waste it can be a source of clean, climate-neutral electricity and household cooking fuel.
Read more from the source: Global Methane Pledge; Africa’s Methane Gamble – Can a Climate-Warming Gas Become an Asset to Health?

Declaration

B A O B A B comes to you free of charge as I compile it in a voluntary capacity. I have no affiliation with any source of finance or political party. Nor does the inclusion of any externally sourced information in the bulletin imply that I endorse its contents. It is up to you readers to arrive at your own interpretation of the published material.

Acknowledgements

I extend my sincere thanks to Alastair Sarre and Mafa Chipeta for their advice and support and to my family and friends for their encouragement and feedback. I thank Alex Juma for his initial work in creating the Baobab website.

Patricia Tendi

baobabdawn@gmail.com

Photo credits and copyright

Baobab at sunrise, Tarangir National Park, Tanzania, by Diana Robinson

Digging for water in a dry riverbed, by DFID

Baobab tree by Caneles

B A O B A B strength – power – life – longevity

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Baobab November 2021-2