Shaping the Global Agenda for Forests and Climate Change
Olive Convention Center
 

Forest Day 5 coincided with the UNFCCC Conference of Parties 17 in Durban, South Africa. Like previous influential editions, the conference sought to inform the global debate on forests and climate change, with a particular focus on Africa.

The World Bank's Vice President for Sustainable Development Rachel Kyte participated in the Global Updates plenary session. The World Bank and PROFOR were also present through two Discussion Forums and in connection with various Issues Marketplace themes:

• Ken Andrasko from World Bank/FCPF moderated a session on Exploring Reference Levels and Monitoring for REDD+: Early country pilot activities. Cohosts: World Bank/FCPF, FAO. Examples from DRC, Tanzania and Peru. 
• The World Bank's Climate Change Envoy Andrew Steer gave the keynote address for Change and adaptation in African drylands: Reversing deforestation while contributing to food security. Cohosts: FAO, World Bank, IUCN. A joint Forest Day/Agricultural and Rural Development Day event.
• Richard Gledhill from Pricewaterhouse Cooper presented the work the firm did for PROFOR on Forest Benefit Sharing Mechanisms for REDD+ during the Issues Marketplace on Theme 3: Financing opportunities and issues for mitigation and adaptation.
• Sara Scherr from EcoAgriculture Partners shared findings on the linkages between forests, agriculture and climate change during the Issues Marketplace on Theme 5: Landscape approaches. Change and adaptation in African drylands: reversing deforestation while contributing to food security

The opening plenary included a moving video tribute to Wangari Maathai.

CIFOR produced a multimedia package that includes accounts, photos and videos of many of the day's presentations: http://www.forestsclimatechange.org/events/forest-day/forest-day-5.html