COP27: what does it mean for the future of our forests?

Despite our dependence on forests, global deforestation continues at an alarming rate. Primary drivers include land use conversion, unsustainable logging and forest fires, with agricultural expansion reported to be the largest single cause. Global collaboration and solutions, such as those developed at COPs, combined with local implementation measures, will be key to ensure that both forest-rich and consumer-based countries can progress towards reversing forest loss, as well as achieving the wider goals of the Paris Agreement. 

Much of this year’s conference will highlight the need for scaled-up climate finance across a range of disciplines, in particular for least developed and developing countries to adapt to climate impacts.

Proper funding to the right projects will be the only way to enable success; investing in forests is essential for sustaining life, livelihoods and for keeping planetary temperature goals within reach.

Recap: what happened at COP26?

Important progress was made at COP26 when 140 world leaders endorsed the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forests and Land Use, committing to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030. Compared to the New York Declaration on Forests made in 2014, the Glasgow Declaration is backed by many more countries (accounting for 90% of the world’s forests) and coupled with pledges to mobilise funding and take action. In particular:

• 12 governments announced a $12 billion Global Forest Finance Pledge; 
• 30+ financial institutions endorsed a commitment letter on plans, milestones and incentives to eliminate commodity-driven deforestation from their portfolios by 2025; 
• Major agricultural commodity producers signed a joint statement of purpose in which they committed to accelerate sector-wide action on eliminating commodity-driven deforestation. 

The Glasgow Climate Pact – the culminating agreement reached at the conference – “noted” the importance of ensuring the integrity of all ecosystems and “emphasised” the importance of protecting, conserving and restoring nature and ecosystems, expressly including forests. Overall, the pledges and partnerships forged at COP26 sowed the seeds for ambitious international action against forest loss, but the strength of such commitments will only be demonstrated through implementation and delivery.  

Has any progress been made since COP26? 

Since COP26, four new countries have joined the Glasgow Leaders Declaration, and in certain regions, the regulatory landscape on deforestation has developed. For example, as part of the wider European Green Deal, the European Commission has proposed a regulation on deforestation-free products which would restrict imports of specific commodities linked to deforestation. The UK Government has also recently set out its response to a consultation held on the implementation of due diligence regulations aimed at tackling deforestation in UK supply chains. However, many countries have yet to detail concrete plans for implementing stronger forest protection, and the data available is not looking promising. 

According to the Forest Declaration Assessment, to meet the 2030 forest goals, deforested area needs to reduce by 10% each year. However, in 2021, global deforestation rates fell by only 6.3%, and notable gains in afforestation and reforestation efforts exceeded losses in the same period. Just days ago on 7 November, the United Nations Environment Programme also reported that the world is not on track to achieve the 2030 forest goals. 

What might we expect at COP27? 

As emphasised throughout the initial days of the conference and by its presidential slogan, COP27 is set to focus on implementation. Building on efforts made at COP26, the Forests and Climate Leaders Partnership (FCLP) has launched at COP27 to accelerate the implementation of the Glasgow Leaders Declaration. The FCLP will lead on delivery, innovation and accountability through annual events and reporting, and the launch on 7 November reported that around one fifth of the $12 billion pledged has already been spent on protection and restoration. A further $4.5 billion from public and private donors will be committed at COP27.  

Whilst research in March found that the Amazon rainforest is reaching its tipping point, it is expected that Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, president-elect of Brazil, will join the FCLP as part of his pledge to protect the Brazilian Amazon, offering renewed hope for many on the future of the world’s largest rainforest. Recent media reports also suggest that Brazil, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are in talks to form a strategic rainforest conservation alliance. From the private sector, as pledged at COP26, key agro-commodity companies have now published a shared agriculture sector roadmap for enhanced action consistent with a 1.5-degree pathway, however initial commentary suggests it does not deliver the necessary ambition.

As such, it would appear that the tide is slowly turning from pledges and commitments into a focus on planning and implementation, but it is crucial that the pace of delivery picks up speed.

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