COP26: Time to Invest in Nature-Based Solutions and Climate-Smart Agriculture

Rainforest Alliance experts will be attending the UNFCCC COP26 climate summit taking place in Glasgow Oct. 31 – Nov. 12 presenting critical initiatives to raise the importance of nature-based solutions and climate-smart practices. Key among them: eliminating deforestation from commodity supply chains and building climate resilience for farming and forest communities.

Conventional agriculture accounts for 24 percent of human-made greenhouse gas emissions and 75% of tropical forest deforestation. Moving to a nature-positive production system which includes climate-smart approaches will go a long way to address these challenges.

“We must cut emissions in half by 2030, according to the scientists who produced the latest IPCC report, if we are to avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change. Two years ago, those same scientists told us that nature-based solutions could help achieve 37 percent of necessary emissions reductions, yet not much has happened since. There is no more time to waste. The time to act is now,” said Abdul-Razak Saeed, Climate Change Lead at the Rainforest Alliance. “Nationally determined contributions to reduce emissions need to include nature-based solutions,” he added.

“The science is damning – and we need to act fast with drastic measures.  The good news is we know what needs to be done.  Forests are a key part of the climate solution. Stopping deforestation and forest degradation, protecting forests, managing them sustainably and restoring them is crucial,” said Emmanuelle Berenger, Sustainable Forest Management lead at the Rainforest Alliance. “With the launch of our Forest Allies community of practice during COP26 we convene forest communities, civil society and the private sector to form durable alliances. Together we advocate for Integrated Community Forest Management, transform business practices, and support forest communities,” she added.

The Rainforest Alliance works with millions of farmers and with forest communities all over the world to promote sustainable and climate-smart practices and improve livelihoods—both of which are critical to building farm and farmer resilience, stopping deforestation, and increasing biodiversity.