UN Climate Summit Sees Pledge to Halt Forest Loss

UN climate summit: Over 100 leaders commit to ending forest loss by 2030 GLASGOW (AA) - In the fight against climate change, more than 100 leaders committed to halting forest loss by 2030 and mobilizing USD 12 billion in public funding and USD 7.2 billion in private sector financing for this purpose. At the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), over 100 leaders signed the "Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land Use."   The leaders committed under the declaration to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030. They also pledged to mobilize USD 12 billion in public funding and USD 7.2 billion in private sector financing toward this goal. The declaration includes commitments to protect forests and other terrestrial ecosystems and accelerate their restoration, promote sustainable development and implement national trade policies, enhance resilience by improving rural livelihoods, design policies to promote sustainable agriculture and food security, provide support for local communities, and facilitate alignment of financing with international targets. France Price, Global Forest Practice Leader at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), stated in her remarks on the declaration that commitments to halt deforestation must be implemented urgently, adding: "Forests provide critical ecosystem services for human, economic and social wellbeing, yet alarming losses in forests continue." Price noted that governments need to accelerate efforts to improve land and forest management by increasing participation, accountability and transparency. "We call on governments to complement today's announced forest and land use commitments with ambitious, time-bound targets and a common transparent framework for monitoring and verifying these targets. We have no time to lose. Implementation is the key to achieving results that will secure a positive future for nature," she said.