Land degradation and deforestation remain critical issues across Africa, with severe impacts on biodiversity, local economies, and climate resilience. At the same time, Africa’s tropical forests, grasslands and soils are essential carbon sinks, provide vital ecosystem services, and have enormous carbon sequestration potential, making the continent a critical player in global climate mitigation efforts. However, unsustainable land-use practices continue to drive forest loss and land degradation, disproportionately affecting indigenous peoples and local communities that rely on these resources. Additionally, global climate policies are creating new market pressures on African land, leading to what's essentially a modern "scramble for Africa" driven by climate finance. Local communities are experiencing dispossession of their traditional lands, and local governance structures and agencies are being undermined. Traditional land management practices may be overlooked, and local communities lose agency over territories they've managed for generations.
This event will examine the critical intersection of carbon sink preservation, local governance, and sustainable land management in Africa. Through case studies and expert insights, we will explore successful community-based approaches to land restoration, innovative policy frameworks that protect local land rights, and mechanisms for ensuring that carbon finance benefits local communities while advancing global climate goals.
Themes:
- Indigenous and community-based approaches to land restoration and preservation
- Safeguarding mechanisms for local land rights in carbon offset projects
- Traditional ecological knowledge and sustainable land management
- Innovative financing models that prioritise community benefits
Policy frameworks for inclusive land degradation neutrality (LDN)
