Forests: can we still save them?
‘Halt deforestation and land degradation by 2030’. This is the commitment made by 145 countries in the Glasgow Declaration at COP26. But with 6 years to go, experts are still warning that millions of hectares of forest are still disappearing around the world every year, ravaged by fires, degraded by logging or destroyed to make way for farmland. Africa and South America, in particular, suffer the most serious consequences.
This destruction is not confined to the regions affected: it is also fuelled by ‘imported deforestation’, linked to our consumption patterns in France and Europe. The palm oil, soya and tropical wood we use often come from lands where forests have been cleared. Our food choices, purchasing habits and corporate decisions have a direct impact on these fragile ecosystems. Using the examples of the Brazilian Cerrado and the forests of the Congo Basin, this session will highlight the urgent need for action. It is crucial to transform our consumption patterns, to involve companies in the transparency of their supply chains, and to strengthen political regulations to combat deforestation. Everyone has a role to play: consumers, businesses and political decision-makers. Together, we can put in place concrete solutions to preserve and regenerate these ecosystems, protect the biodiversity they harbour, and change practices before it's too late.’
Estelle EWOULE LOBE
,
Co-founder of the Action for the Protection of Internally Displaced People and Environmental Migrants in Africa
Francis HALLÉ
,
Botanist and biologist, specialist in trees and tropical forests
Dinamam TUXA
,
Executive coordinator of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) and Legal Advisor to the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples and Organizations of the Northeast, Minas Gerais, and Espírito Santo (APOINME)
Eliane XUNAKALO
,
President of the Federation of Indigenous Peoples of Mato Grosso, Brazil
Ernst ZÜRCHER
,
Forestry Engineer, Doctor of Science, Emeritus Professor, and Wood Science Researcher
Moderation: Laure d' ASTORG, CEO of the Alliance for Forest Conservation
La maison de l'UNESCO, 125 avenue Suffren, 75007 Paris – Salle XI
Friday, March 14 – 17:00 - 18:30
In partnership with L'OFFICE FRANÇAIS DE LA BIODIVERSITÉ, L'ALLIANCE POUR LA PRÉSERVATION DES FORÊTS