The International Forests & Water Agenda

Transcription

1 The International Forests & Water Agenda From Discourse to Action Elaine Springgay Forestry Officer (Forest & Water) FORESTERRA Final Conference 25 November 2015 FAO

2 Why Forests and Water?

3 Why Forests and Water? Forested watersheds and wetlands supply 75% of the world s accessible fresh water for domestic, agricultural, industrial and ecological needs Approximately 80% of the global population live in areas where water resources are insecure Every US$1 invested in watershed protection can save anywhere from US$7.5 to nearly US$200 in water treatment Yet only 25% of the world s forests have soil and water conservation as their main objective

4 Why Forests and Water? At least one third of the world s biggest cities Singapore Jakarta Rio de Janeiro Bogotá New York Cape Town Madrid draw a significant portion of their drinking-water from forested areas

5 Forests & Water Agenda

6 Partners CIFOR Weyerhaeuser ICIMOD Forest Research Institute (IBLES) ICRAF Universitat Politècnica de València University of Lisbon University Putra Malaysia Beijing Forestry University IUFRO Science Chinese Academy of Forestry Practices & Economics CSIR Policy IUCN INBAR FAO FORIG Kenya Forestry Research Institute Stockholm International Water Institute FOREST EUROPE PlanBleu Forest Trends Government of Alberta, Canada

7 From Discourse Main recommendations Improved understanding of forestwater interactions Climate change, scale, forest types Communicating research Integrated landscape approach Collaborative partnerships Capacity building Monitoring systems Economic values for forest-water resources Inter-sectoral policies

8 To Action Forests are important for the water supply of humanity Kunming Expert Meeting (March 2014) Integrated management that maximizes win-wins PES mechanisms Collaboration with private sector Climate change Practice Promote informed policy Institutional mechanisms Capacity building Improve understanding Inter-disciplinary research activities Knowledge sharing tools Monitoring systems and tools Science Policy

9 From Discourse to Action International Forests and Water Dialogue XIV World Forestry Congress 8-9 September 2015 Co-organizers: FAO, IUFRO, ICRAF, INBAR Over 200 participants during twoday special event Objectives: Raise awareness on the importance of forests and water Increase collaboration between stakeholders Improve integrated management and policies

10 Forests & Water Dialogue Key Messages 1. The interaction between trees, forests and water deserves greater recognition at national, regional and international levels; 2. The Dialogue reaffirmed that there is a strong demand, need for, and willingness to participate in and contribute to a newly established network of partners; 3. There is a need for decision-makers to allocate greater resources for research on forest-water interactions and the translation of this research into policy action and practical implementation, including at the community level.

11 Forests & Water Action Plan Transition from discourse to action Tangible integration of science, policy and practice Collaboration and consolidation Project portfolio of US$10.5 million: Research Projects to improve water resources and livelihoods Network? Launched at the International Forests and Water Dialogue XIV World Forestry Congress, 9 September 2015

12 Forests & Water Action Plan Goals 1. Science: Increase international research on forest-water interactions, addressing knowledge gaps. 2. Policy: Support forest-water policies, governance institutions and mechanisms. 3. Practice: Integrate scientifically based understanding of forest-water interactions in the management of diverse landscapes. 4. Capacity Building & Communication: Build the capacity of network members and the international community at large to address gaps in forest-water science, policy and management.

13 Forest & Water in Policy

14 Forest & Water in Policy Forests and water in the SDGs 6.4 By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity and substantially reduce the number of people suffering from water scarcity 6.6 By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes 15.1 By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands

15 Forest & Water in Policy Redefine forest? Inclusion of function in addition to physical attributes Forest ecosystem: It is a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their abiotic environment interacting as a functional unit, where trees are a key component of the system. (CBD)

16 Forests & Water 2016 Workshops in Development EFC WPMMW Working Group on Forests and Water - Marketing Forests and Water (22-23 March 2016) Beyond Watersheds: A Forest-Water-Climate Change Nexus Monitoring Framework (Fall 2016)

17 Questions How do we consolidate stakeholders having parallel discussions on this topic? How do we effectively communicate our message to different stakeholders (without losing meaning)? How do we influence policy that can be effectively implemented? How can FAO better engage with the research community in the development of their Forests and Water programme?

18 Thank you.