Critical forestry talks kick off at Clark
CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga — Forestry and natural resources leaders and nongovernment environment groups in Asia-Pacific gathered here yesterday for the five-day Asia-Pacific Forestry Week (APFW) 2016 to tackle critical issues challenging the region’s forests today.
Organized by the United Nation’s (UN’s) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC), in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the event is held only once every four years and considered one of the largest and most significant forestry gatherings in the region.
It also runs in conjunction with the 26th session of the APFC, which convenes every two years to review progress, discuss issues and set new agendas on forestry.
The FAO said among the priority topics on the agenda for the APFW 2016 meetings are reducing greenhouse gas emissions and building resilience to the negative impacts of climate change.
The discussions will be held in 70 parallel sessions, workshops, and exhibits from February 22-26.
In a statement FAO Senior Forestry Officer Patrick Durst said countries around the world are now regrouping to see how they can translate the lofty commitments made during the recent Paris climate change conference into “practical action on the ground.”
Durst noted that high-level consultations are being convened as part of Forestry Week to elaborate a roadmap for the restoration of denuded forests in the region.
“The regional action plan is designed in part to spell out strategies that will effectively enable countries to deliver on their COP21 pledges,” he said.
Co- organizer APFC said the week’s discussions provide the region’s first major opportunity to explore how the new global deal on climate change is relevant to forest management in Asia-Pacific.
Attended by over a thousand delegates from 32 Asia-Pacific countries, the APFW 2016 kicked off with a grand opening ceremony at the Fontana Convention Center in Clark Freeport Zone.
Discussions by the end of the APFW 2016 are expected to result to a renewed commitment between AsiaPacific forestry leaders and groups and thus, recommendations from policymakers which will impact national and international forestry investment by 2020, the UN-FAO said.
In his keynote speech, DENR Sec. Ramon J.P. Paje expressed gratitude for having to host the APFW this year.
He recognized efforts of various countries in the Asia-Pacific in combating deforestation, noting that eight member- countries of the APFC are among the 10 countries reporting the greatest annual forest area gain, according to the UN FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015.
Paje also reported, that the Philippines, ranking fifth in the list, has covered 1,351,803 hectares of open, denuded and degraded forests under the DENR’s National Greening Program (NGP).
Paje told the delegates, however, that despite significant gains in reforestation, more needs to be done.
“We cannot deny the fact that deforestation still occurs in our part of the world. Surmounting the challenges to revers this trend requires innovation in forest governance. What is called for at this rapidly changing time is a dynamic and adaptable forest management paradigm that can adapt to the need of the times,” Paje said in his speech.
Paje said that the major challenge for the forestry sector is a “sustainable financing for sustainable forest management.”
“I believe there is a need to build parterships in order in mobilize green investment from international, regional, and national sources especially those coming from the private sector,” he said.
The event started with a performance from Asia’s Got Talent grand winner, all Filipino group, El Gamma Penubra. Known for their touching and educational shadow performances, the group imparted to the audience the importance of forests in the ecosystem thus, urging them to grow more trees.
Filipina veteran singer Dulce also sang the APFW 2016 theme song entitled “Forest of Life.”
Ms. Earth 2015 Angelio Ong, meanwhile, emceed the opening ceremonies.