World Forestry Congress 2015 from 7 to 11 September 2015 in Durban, RSA, on Forests and People: Investing in a sustainable future

Side Event, Session 1: Forests and climate change in Central Africa

One of the events of the World Forestry Congress, on Monday 7 September 2015, 12.45 to 14.45

In this Side Event, the Central Africa Forest Commission (COMIFAC) will communicate on the various dynamics of actions undertaken by its Member States to fight climate change. In fact, since 2006, Central Africa has been engaged in international climate negotiations so that the role of tropical forests in the fight against climate change should be taken into account. To this end, a sub-regional working group has been set up and various consultation meetings have been held regionally and internationally to promote common positions of the sub-region on a number of concerns such as policy approaches, financial incentives, etc. For this purpose, COMIFAC countries prepared and made several submissions on REDD+ issues to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In 2011, COMIFAC countries signed a Joint Declaration of Intent on REDD+ with partners in the Congo Basin on the sidelines of the COP-17 of the Climate Convention in Durban to stimulate progress on REDD+ in the Basin Congo.

Beyond mitigation aspects, forests also contribute to climate change adaptation through the various goods and services provided to local communities. To maximize the contribution of forests, it is necessary to build synergies between mitigation and adaptation.

This Side Event is a timely platform for interactions and meetings between key players and institutional partners that are involved, interested and curious to discuss the strengths, weaknesses and challenges faced by the sub-region in its efforts in the fight against climate change. It is also an opportunity to start providing solutions to bolster ongoing dynamic actions in order to minimize the effects of climate change on forest resources and the populations of COMIFAC countries.

Programme: a series of 10-minutes presentations followed by discussions.

(i) Strengths, opportunities and constraints of sustainable management of Congo Basin forests for climate change mitigation (Hervé Maidou, COMIFAC / PREREDD);

(ii) Promotion of sustainable forest management and REDD+ in the DRC (André Kondjo Shoko, JICA/DIAF Project);

(iii) Major challenges of sustainable forest management and climate change (REDD Project ES/ITTO)

(iv) Current and potential contributions of Central African forests to the global concern of climate change (Richard Eba’a Atyi, CIFOR)

(vi) Discussions: Questions - Answers

Cocktail offered at the end by COMIFAC/PREREDD

Moderator: Belmond Tchoumba (WWF)

Some suggested publications:

Sonwa, D.J., Scholte, P., Pokam, W., Schauerte, P., Tsalefac, M., BoukaBiona, C., Peach, B., Haensler, A., Ludwig, F., Mbankam, F.K., Mosnier, A., Moufouma- Okia, W., Ngana, F., Tiani, A-M. 2014. Changement climatique et adaptation en Afrique centrale : passé, scenarios et options pour le futur. In, de Wasseige, C., Flynn, J., Louppe, D., HiolHiol, F., Mayaux, Ph. (eds), Les forêts du bassin du Congo –Etat des forêts 2013, p.99-119, available, www.observatoire-comifac.net/ 

Maniatis, D., Tadoum, M., Crète, Ph., Aquino, A., Gari, J., Goodman, L., Bodin, B., Karsenty, A., Sembres, Th., Fetiveau, J. 2014. REDD+ : Etat d’avancement et défis à relever. In, de Wasseige, C., Flynn, J., Louppe, D., HiolHiol, F., Mayaux, Ph. (eds), Les forêts du bassin du Congo –Etat des forêts 2013,p. 121- 162, available, www.observatoire-comifac.net/

Lescuyer, G., NgouhouoPoufon, J., Collin, A., YembeYembe, R. I. 2014. Le REDD+ à la rescousse des concessions forestières? Analyse financière des principaux modes de valorisation des terres dans le bassin du Congo. Document de travail 160. CIFOR : Bogor, available, www.cifor.cgiar.org

Tadoum, M., KasuluSeyaMakonga, V., Boundzanga, G. C., Bouyer, O., Hamel, O.,Creighton, G. K.2012. Négociations internationales sur le futur régime climat post 2012 : Avancées de Copenhague à Cancùn et retombées pour les forêts bu bassin du Congo. In, de Wasseige, C., de Marcken, P., Bayol, N., HiolHiol, F., Mayaux, Ph., Desclée, B., Nasi, R., Billand, A., Defourny, P., Eba’a Atyi, R. (eds.), Les forêts du bassin du Congo- Etat des forêts 2010, p.157- 170, available, www.observatoire-comifac.net/