By Jeff Kapembwa
Prospects of restoring depleting forests in the Amazon in Brazil and other parts of the world where the trees have been ‘cannibalised for commercial and criminal intentions’ are waning after developed countries attending COP 3O in Belem, are lobbying to retain fossil fuels despite climate emergencies.
The ongoing COP 30 being hosted in the Amazon City-Belem until November 21, has failed to break the notion that “fossil fuels” should be replaced with renewable energy to retard climate change effects after more than 40 countries’ voices to fight deforestation were muted.
The call by 40 out of the 100 countries that signed and lobbied for a reverse from fossils to renewable energy to decelerate the climatic crisis through restoration of the COP26 commitment to end deforestation by 2030, is seemingly off track, despite host leaders pushing to be heard.
COP30 President André Aranha Corrêa do Lago, during a high level meeting, expressed fear that the possible restoration of the COP 26 demands for restoration of the protection of affected forests worldwide was under threat and more needed to be done.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had earlier urged world leaders at the opening of the summit that “Forest COP 30” to rally behind the call for restoration of COP 26 that called for a reversal of the dependency on fossil fuels and instead, mobilise the necessary resources to reach these objectives.
Since then, more than 80 countries have rallied behind a fossil fuel transition roadmap – yet negotiators from tropical countries and observers say a roadmap to end deforestation has not gained the same momentum at the UN climate talks.
According to the ‘Glascow Leaders’ Declaration On Forests and Land Use’ resolutions made at the COP 26, and supported by public and private funding, was to protect the world’s forests, though its effectiveness relies on actual implementation, with experts cautioning in the past that similar promises have been broken.
Earlier, over 100 leaders representing 85% of the world’s forests had signed a declaration to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. Major forest countries like Brazil, Russia, Canada, Colombia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are among the signatories.
The pledge is backed by over $19.2 billion in public and private funds to support forest protection and restoration. Critics point out that similar pledges have been made before without achieving the desired results, and this agreement is voluntary and lacks strict enforcement mechanisms.
However, critics say, the success of the pledge to fulfil the COP 26 as espoused, hinges on the follow-through from the signatory countries. UN Secretary-General António Guterres is apt: “it is essential that it is implemented now for people and the planet”.
Guterres calls have since been frowned upon
The ongoing Amazon Cop 30, deemed to be the turning point from fossil fuels to a stop to deforestation has weighed its support towards fossil fuels, contrasting sustained calls to reverse the climatic effects on the planet and ecosystem.
Since then, more than 80 countries have rallied behind a fossil fuel transition roadmap – yet negotiators from tropical countries and observers say a roadmap to end deforestation has not gained the same momentum at the UN climate talks.
During the summit, at least 42 countries had expressed support for a deforestation roadmap. These include the European Union, the AILAC group of Latin American countries and the Environmental Integrity Group.
These include Mexico, Liechtenstein, Monaco, South Korea, Switzerland and Georgia.
Plans by Brazil to protect its tropical forests, vulnerable to financial exploitation and climate driven headwinds, received a fillip in Belem after interest groups pledged to help mobilize over US$6 billion to protect the country’s ecosystem.
The just ended TFFF conference, hosted in the Amazon-City-Belem from 6-7 November marked a turnaround for countries affected by indiscriminate cutting of trees including Brazil.
The conference, attracted over 500 delegates, globally, including the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, dubbed: “preserving global forests”, and themed with a goal of creating a fund to reward countries for not chopping down trees, saw 53 countries, including 19 potential sovereign investors offering to join in the fundraiser and safeguard the forests, and the ecosystem, generally.
Arguably, the novel global funding mechanism, if secured, is designed to finance the permanent conservation of tropical and subtropical broadleaf moist rainforests by directly compensating countries and forest stewards for their efforts to maintain or increase their forest cover.
Experts close to the TFFF project commend the launch of the forest fundraiser initiative.
The Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), arguably is where conservation meets capital creation.
It is a once-in-a-generation facility that secures the future of tropical forests and guarantees returns for investors.
Norway, a key player, committed US$3 billion over the next 10-years subject to specific conditions, Brazil and Indonesia reconfirmed their US$ 1 billion commitments, Portugal committed US$1 million, France indicated that, under specific conditions, they would consider committing up to 500 million Euros until 2030.
The Netherlands committed US$ 5 million for the secretariat, and Germany fully endorsed the TFFF, and stated that their financial commitment will be discussed tomorrow between President Lula and Chancellor Merz.
In total, 34 tropical forest countries endorsed the TFFF Declaration, covering over 90% of the tropical forests in developing countries.
These include Indonesia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and China, a statement issued at the end of the forest conferment, attended by that country’s leader, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.