Agriculture-forestry innovation and finance: scaling up ambition towards COP30 and beyond

Context

Forests are essential for achieving the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to 1.5–2°C above pre-industrial levels. Forests help cut emissions, conserve biodiversity, and provide crucial ecosystem services that enhance agrifood system resilience. The loss of forest cover—particularly in tropical regions—compounds local climate impacts, disrupting rainfall and affecting agricultural productivity. Sustainable forestry practices are therefore vital to resilient food systems, especially for communities whose livelihoods depend on agriculture-forest synergies.

Integrating agriculture-forestry synergies into agrifood systems enhances food security, local livelihoods, and resilience to environmental shocks. Sustainable land use practices such as agroforestry and forest conservation are key to building inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems that support better production, nutrition, and environmental outcomes.

Financing synergies for impact With strong momentum from the GCF B.40, COP29 and UNFSS+4, this event, organized by the UN-REDD Programme, will explore how REDD+ efforts and results-based finance (RBF) can strengthen agriculture-forestry synergies. RBF offers a crucial mechanism to channel investments into sustainable land use practices that benefit both forests and agriculture. By directly rewarding outcomes, RBF incentivizes practices that curb emissions, safeguard biodiversity, protect Indigenous rights, and support communities in climate resilience efforts.

Unified solutions for transformation This side event will highlight pathways for integrating forests, nature, and people into unified solutions for climate and agrifood system transformation. Speakers will share insights on mobilizing RBF to bridge agriculture and forestry, accelerating action toward UNFSS+4 and COP 30 in Belém, and securing meaningful progress on the 2030 forest goals.

The speakers in this event will:

• Build momentum toward COP30 and UNFSS+4 by reinforcing agriculture-forestry synergies, spotlighting UN-REDD and core partners’ leadership in embedding forests into sustainable food systems and climate strategies.
• Showcase the transformation potential of [UN-REDD’s] [Countries’] innovative policies and actions promoting “forest-positive” food systems, including through opportunities to connect the decade-long REDD+ process to UNFSS national pathways for agrifood systems transformation; bridging business and government climate commitments; reflecting on emerging deforestation-related market measures, impacts and needs.
• Emphasize the role of innovative finance in advancing forest-positive agriculture, illustrating how sustainable finance pathways attract investment that supports climate resilience and drives economic growth in forest-dependent communities.
• Share country perspectives on aligning policy with action, detailing how a Forestry Public Expenditure Review fosters policy coherence to enhance forest and climate outcomes.

EXPECTED TAKE-AWAY MESSAGES

• Synergies between agriculture and forestry: Creating integrated landscapes where agriculture and forestry co-exist can lead to mutual benefits, reducing the pressure on forests while enhancing agricultural resilience. Leveraging technology, data, local knowledge and partnerships is essential to drive synergies between agriculture and forestry, supporting sustainable practices that benefit communities and ecosystems alike.
• Finance as a catalyst: Sustainable financing mechanisms, including green bonds, climate finance, and blended finance, are crucial to scale up efforts that link agriculture and forestry, enabling long-term impact on forest conservation and restoration.
• Ambition for COP30: We need a shared vision and heightened ambition at COP30 to set achievable targets for sustainable land use, zero deforestation supply chains, and enhanced biodiversity conservation.
• UN-REDD’s convening power: Leveraging the expertise of its three sister agencies, UN-REDD is a key convener and leader in forest and climate action, uniting partners to showcase forests as solutions for climate resilience, financial innovation, and sustainable agriculture. COP29 is just the start, as UN-REDD builds momentum toward COP30 and beyond with impactful partnerships and strategic engagement.

FOREST PAVILION AT COP29 - INFORMATION NOTE

The Forest Pavilion at the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) will be organized by multi-stakeholder partners. The Forest Pavilion will be established in C4 of the Blue Zone as part of the reimagined SDG Pavilion organized by UN DESA. The Forest Pavilion will be open to all accredited COP29 participants.  By bringing together world leaders in policy, science, and practice from around the world, the Forest Pavilion will provide a central platform for all stakeholders to galvanize collective efforts at all levels in safeguarding and leveraging forests for a just, equitable and sustainable future for all.

Opening remarks:

• Mr Marcos Neto, Assistant Secretary-General, UNDP

Introduction by Moderator:

• Mr Mario Boccucci, Head of the UN-REDD Programme Secretariat

Scene-setting:

• Ms Serena Fortuna, Senior Forestry Officer - Halting deforestation, degradation and emissions Team Leader (FAO), and the UN-REDD Programme Management Group Member

Panel discussion

• Ms Roselyn Fosuah Adjei, Director of Climate Change, Ghana Forestry Commission, Ghana;
• Colombia: Ministry of Environment;
• Mr Nguyen Thanh Tung, Senior Official, Forest Products Trade and Processing Division, DOF, Viet Nam;
• Ms Karina Salinas, Coordinator of the Climate Change Adaptation Management Unit · Ministry of Environment, Water, and Ecological Transition, Ecuador;
• Mr Ben Vickers, Senior Specialist, Land Use, Forestry, and Ecosystems, Green Climate Fund;