Add to CalendarThe session will review the challenges posed by land degradation in Africa and explore the role that ecosystem restoration can play in African commitments on development, climate and biodiversity. Participants will suggest ideas for a “Pan-African Action Agenda on Ecosystem Restoration for Increased Resilience” to be considered as part of a declaration of the African Ministerial Summit on Biodiversity to be held as part of the 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference. This is a unique opportunity to provide substantive inputs to a political process.
The session aims to:
- Explore ways and means to promote uptake and upscaling of ecosystem restoration; and
- Highlight linkages between the Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union 2063 Agenda, the Abidjan Convention and commitments on ecosystem restoration under the Convention on Biological Diversity, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
The discussions during this session will be informed by the IPBES Africa Regional Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, the IPBES global land degradation assessment, and the Short-Term Action Plan on Ecosystem Restoration adopted by the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to enhance and accelerate efforts to achieve Aichi Biodiversity Target 15 (on ecosystem restoration) and 14 (on conserving and restoring ecosystem services).
The session will scope support available to African countries for the implementation of the Short-Term Action Plan on Ecosystem Restoration and highlight gaps that need to be addressed to clearly articulate the contribution that ecosystem restoration in Africa can make to the post-2020 biodiversity agenda.
The outcomes of this session, together with information on support available to African countries articulating commitments on ecosystem restoration, will feed into preparations for the African Ministerial Summit on Biodiversity and its expected outcomes, including a Ministerial Declaration and a Pan-African Action Agenda on Ecosystem Restoration for Increased Resilience. The African Ministerial Summit on Biodiversity will be hosted on 13 November 2018 by the Government of Egypt in the margins of the 2018 UN Biodiversity Conference in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.
Speakers
· Ms. Musonda Mumba, Chief of the Terrestrial Ecosystems Unit, UN Environment –(Moderator)
· Mr. Frank Turyatunga, Deputy Director Africa Office, UN Environment
· Mr. Harsen Nyambe, Head of Division, Environment, Climate change, Water and Land Management, African Union Commission
· Ms. Lisa Janishevski, Biodiversity and Climate Change, Science and Policy Support, CBD Secretariat
CBD COP 14: https://www.cbd.int/conferences/2018
Aichi Biodiversity Targets: https://www.cbd.int/sp/targets/
UN Environment: http://www.unenvironment.org/
African Union: https://au.int/en
