This part of the closing session will look at current initiatives to scale up finance for sustainable landscapes. Land use sectors such as forestry and agriculture are key in international efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Up to 25% of global greenhouse gas emissions stem from land use sectors and land use change, mainly driven by the expansion of agriculture at the cost of forests. At the same time, agriculture and forestry provide the basis of livelihoods for 70% of the world’s poorest people. In Sub-Saharan Africa, these sectors make up more than a third of countries‘ GDP.
Developing countries require financial assistance to make the transition from business-as-usual scenarios to strategically strengthening land use sectors‘ adaptive capacity and lessen their impact on climate change. Climate finance can come from public and private sources, through voluntary and compulsory mechanisms. For developing countries, it is important that sources are predictable, sustainable and easily accessible.
The session will look at several key issues related to scaling up finance for sustainable landscapes.
Key questions addressed:
- What are the strategic policy shifts that countries can implement to cut back emissions from land use sectors before 2020?
- What motivates companies to invest in sustainable land use practices? How can these private investments be encouraged?
- How can financial instruments take an integrated view on land use sectors?
