The 3rd Asia-Pacific Rainforest Summit (APRS) starts on 23-25 of April in Yogyakarta, Indonesia with the theme: Protecting Forests and People, Supporting Economic Growth. Source: Timberbiz
Seven subthemes have evolved through APRS activities and in response to partners’ and participants’ engagements and priorities.
These seven submthemes form a starting point for the selection of discussion topics at the 2018 APRS.
- Forests in NDCs
The objectives of the Paris Climate Agreement cannot be achieved without forests. Many countries in Asia and the Pacific give a large importance to forests and trees in their NDCs. Also, as strongly stipulated under the Paris Climate Agreement, REDD+ has been widely recognized as a positive incentive mechanism, as well as an important mitigation action from the forestry sector.
- Restoration and Sustainable Management of Peatlands
Sixty-eight percent of the world’s peatlands can be found in Southeast Asia. Formed over centuries of waterlogged conditions, peatlands cover 3% to 5% of the earth’s surface but are home to more than 30% of the carbon stored in soil.
- Mangroves and Blue Carbon
Mangroves are among the most carbon-rich forests in the tropics and support numerous ecosystem services. These forests form an important part of the carbon stored in coastal and marine ecosystems, called “blue carbon.”
- Community Forestry
Government plays a key role in establishing land and forest tenure laws and in supporting related access, rights and use. This can lead to resource protection and set incentives for investors to promote the growth of sustainable small and medium enterprises.
- Ecotourism and Conservation of Biodiversity
Economic incentives are imperative for nature conservation and ecotourism, when done correctly, combines environmental – and biodiversity – awareness and sustainability with local economic benefit.
- Production Forests
Timber has been the principle driver of economic development for many Asia-Pacific countries. Production forests also provide non-timber products and environmental services, linking forestry with economics and climate and water regulation.
- Forest Finance, Investment and Trade
The demand for high-value food commodities, such as palm oil, increases pressure on forests and contributes to deforestation, while unsustainable logging in natural forests contributes to forest degradation. Several public and private policy responses have emerged to reduce deforestation and forest degradation.
More information about the event is available at www.cifor.org
