In recent years, tropical forests in the Americas have been in headlines for the devastation they are suffering, mainly due to deforestation (a lot of it agriculture and livestock while road infrastructure being a catalyst) and lately due to forest fires, affecting not only its biodiversity but also to indigenous peoples and local communities whose livelihoods depend on forests and their ecosystem services.
Therefore, with the intention of seeking articulated proposals in the region that can safeguard this important resource for the planet, on Monday, December 2nd, the side event: A multi-stakeholder look to increase the ambition of the NDCs[1] from tropical forests from Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Mexico, will take place in the EUROCLIMA + Pavilion of COP25 (Madrid, Spain).
Thanks to this dialogue where representatives of local communities such as José Luis Rengifo, Black People – Process Representative of Black Communities of Colombia and Mayra Rojas of the Mexican Network of Forest Peasant Organizations will participate, along with government representatives such as the National Forest and Wildlife Service ( SERFOR) from Peru and civil associations from Colombia, Brazil and Peru, it will be possible to emphasize the vital importance of forests and the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, as well as other non-governmental actors, to boost the increase in climate ambition and ensure compliance with the NDCs in the countries.
It should be noted that Amazonian forests provide numerous ecosystem services that benefit not only local populations, but also the entire planet. Thanks to their interaction with the Andes Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean, they play a key role in the water cycle and temperature regulation, maintaining it in certain ranges[2]. Despite this, large areas of Tropical Forest are being lost, for example, only in Peru, on average, a little more than 400 hectares of forest are lost every day.
* This side event will take place on December 2nd, at 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. (Madrid time), at the EUROCLIMA + Pavilion, at the Madrid Fair, (Spain) and will be transmitted via streaming. Under the organization of Asociación Ambiente y Sociedad (AAS) of Colombia, Rede de Cooperação Amazônica (RCA) of Brazil and Law, Environment and Natural Resources (DAR) of Peru.
[1] NDC: Nationally Determined Contributions in adaptation and mitigation presented by countries to face climate change.
[2] Vasquez, Rocio. The fundamental problems that must be solved to avoid a new devastation in the Amazon. DAR (2019)