The summit of the world’s three largest forest basins has convened in Brazzaville, marking a critical moment for the future of these vital ecosystems.
The summit of the world’s three largest forest basins – Amazon, Congo, and South East Asia and South West Pacific – has convened in Brazzaville, marking a critical moment for the future of these vital ecosystems.
WWF calls on the governments of tropical forest countries to forge a strong alliance, fostering coordinated and accelerated efforts towards conserving, sustainably managing, and restoring these precious forest habitats.
At present, the fate of the three tropical forest basins hangs in the balance. Deforestation rates are escalating globally, with a staggering 96% occurring in tropical regions. The Amazon and Congo, the planet’s largest tropical forest basins, stand at the precipice of critical tipping points. The risk of sudden forest loss looms, threatening global climate stability and the well-being, food security, and livelihoods of vulnerable communities dependent on these forests.
Kirsten Schuijt, Director General of WWF International, emphasized, “The Three Basins Summit is an unmissable opportunity to deepen collaboration between tropical forest countries and to stimulate the action and finance needed to protect and restore Earth’s vital forest ecosystems. The world has committed to end deforestation by 2030, but we are dangerously off-track to meet this target.”
“In a time of emergency for our planet, we must urgently accelerate from agreements and targets to transformative action. Every delay is a move closer to irredeemable damage to nature and climate, and its ability to meet human needs. Working together we can protect our natural world.”
Encompassing one-third of the Earth’s land surface, the three forest basins harbor over half of all terrestrial biological diversity. These basins, along with the forests of the Southwest Pacific, provide crucial global and local services and goods that underpin human well-being.
The Summit represents a pivotal moment to mobilize financial support for forests and expedite the recognition and protection of the rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities.
“People are at the centre of protection, restoration and sustainable forest management efforts in the three basins. It is vital that finance flows fairly to Indigenous Peoples and local communities who live in forests and that their land rights are recognised. Where tropical forests are under their stewardship, forests are better protected and deforestation and degradation rates are lower,” adds Kirsten Schuijt.
WWF advocates for a rapid and substantial increase in funding for forests, sourced from both public and private channels. It stresses the importance of transparent and equitable allocation of funds to high-integrity tropical forests.
Additionally, WWF calls on governments and businesses to honor their public commitments to halt forest loss, and to protect, sustainably manage, and restore forests. These actions are crucial for making consistent and meaningful annual progress towards global forest conservation goals.