The annual Global Landscapes Forum is taking place today and tomorrow at its new location in Bonn with approximately 1,000 participants from industry, politics, civil society and the scientific community. The Executive Director of UN Environment, Erik Solheim, is opening the conference at the World Conference Center Bonn which recently hosted the UN Climate Change Conference COP 23. The German government is stepping up its commitment to the creation and preservation of productive landscapes at global level and to harmonising environmental protection and climate action with the sustainable development goals. To achieve these goals, the Federal Environment Ministry and the Federal Development Ministry have each provided the Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) with 5.5 million euros in funding. The GLF secretariat has been set up for an initial four year period on the UN Campus in Bonn.
Federal Development Minister Dr Gerd Müller stated: "When forests are cut down in the Congo, first there will be no rainfall in Ethiopia and then no harvest, which will have dramatic consequences for the people. We need rural areas that are fit for the future, where nature is intact and offers long-term survival prospects as well as employment and sources of income for the people. We need to further discuss such approaches and the Global Landscapes Forum brings together the right experts to do just that."
Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks: "Climate change is an unprecedented challenge for the international community. Forests and soils play a vital role in this. Those working to improve the status of forests and soils are simultaneously combatting climate change and the loss of biodiversity. The Global Landscapes Forum helps us learn from one another and take action together. On top of this, it is also the perfect addition to the UN city of Bonn."
The GLF is the world’s largest, independent, science-led and multi-sectoral action platform for the land use sector and forests. It provides a platform for exchange and networking among stakeholders. The international forum develops new solutions, for example, by considering different fields such as food production, health, renewable energies, human rights, climate and water together on a landscape level.