A bold initiative was announced at a COP 27 side event: UN-REDD and the Green Gigaton Challenge seek to mobilize funding to achieve the crucial milestone of one gigaton of annual emissions reductions from forests by 2025, and annually after that. One gigaton is the equivalent of removing 80% of cars from roads in the United States.

Participants at the 26th Session of the FAO Committee on Forestry highlighted evidence of recent progress in conserving or restoring forests, and the need for integrating agriculture and forestry, given that “forest restoration” is only one aspect of a more comprehensive “land restoration,” and that agroforestry and agroecology are a necessary part of the future, and growing in importance.

With the overall objective of promoting sustainable mountain development, the meeting discussed the agenda for the Mountain Partnership going forward, advocating for bringing mountain-related issues to the fore and the core of relevant international processes, as well as for action on the ground. Delegates also elected a new Steering Committee for the Mountain Partnership, updated several of the Mountain Partnership’s strategy documents, and endorsed the Aspen Declaration.