Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership launched at COP27

Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership launched at COP27
26 countries and the European Union launched the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership at COP27

The Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP), a voluntary partnership of 26 countries committed to accelerating momentum to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030, was launched on November 7th at COP27.

The FCLP was launched by world leaders including the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and the leaders of France, Ghana, Congo, Colombia, and Germany. The partnership of countries, which account for over 33% of the world’s forests and nearly 60% of the world’s GDP, will run annual high-level events to build the delivery of and accountability to global forest commitments. It also aims to provide a space for governments to create collective consensus about how to drive progress towards the 2030 target to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation.

The partnership is co-chaired by the US and Ghana, with member countries committing to lead in FCLP action areas that are then supported, led, established or showcased by the FCLP. These action areas are:

  • International collaboration on the sustainable land use economy and supply chains
  • Mobilising public and donor finance to support implementation
  • Shifting the private finance system
  • Supporting Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ initiatives
  • Strengthening and scaling carbon markets for forests
  • Partnerships and incentives for preserving high-integrity forests.

In this first FCLP event, progress and new commitments on halting and reversing forest loss by 2030 were announced. New commitments include Germany doubling its finance for forests from €1 billion to €2 billion through 2025, and an additional $3.6 billion of private capital committed at COP27.

Also on the first day of COP27, leaders from the UK, Palau, Nigeria, Costa Rica, France, and the United States reasserted support for the 30×30 target, which commits countries to a global effort to achieve the protection of at least thirty percent of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030 to help curb biodiversity loss and climate change.

Read more about the new FCLP in a press release from the UK Government.