Could humanity solve the climate crisis by restoring the Earth’s landscapes? This session will explore the potential of restoration in climate change mitigation and adaptation in the lead-up to COP26. Speakers will discuss synergies generated between mitigation and adaptation, showcasing a range of successful case studies in Africa, particularly the Sahel region. The panel will emphasize the need to connect on-the-ground monitoring with global commitments and explore the role of community members in restoration initiatives, including gender dynamics and changing social and power relations. It will also examine ways to access and harness forest carbon finance.

1. Photo
by
Axel
Fassio/CIFOR
#RestoreTogether
bit.ly/FLRForum
Why is restoration
the key to building
a healthier climate,
economy, and planet?
Restoring tree cover as a climate solution
Dr. Susan Cook-Patton, The Nature Conservancy
1

2. #RestoreTogether
bit.ly/FLRForum
Restoring forest cover is a
powerful climate solution
But it can require changes in land use and be expensive compared to other
natural climate solutions. Climate mitigation potential will also vary by location
and the approach for restoring tree cover
-> need robust maps of carbon accumulation rates
2

3. #RestoreTogether
bit.ly/FLRForum
Compile the evidence
Natural forest regrowth = the recovery of forest cover
on cleared lands through spontaneous regrowth after
cessation of prior disturbance or land use
Diverse plantations (Oxford)
Active planting and assisted
regeneration (ETH Zurich)
Various agroforestry
(TNC – in the works!)
Monoculture plantations (UC
Berkley & Conservation
International)
3

4. #RestoreTogether
bit.ly/FLRForum
Field data from literature and
national inventories
+ 66 global covariates (climate, soil nutrient/chemical/physical properties,
radiation, topography, nitrogen deposition)
Cook-Patton et al. 2020 Nature
4

5. #RestoreTogether
bit.ly/FLRForum
Spatially-explicit estimates of
carbon accumulation rates
1-km resolution map
100x variation in carbon accumulation rates across the globe
Uses: estimate mitigation potential for any location, find spots with highest
returns per hectare of investment
Cook-Patton et al. 2020 Nature
5

6. #RestoreTogether
bit.ly/FLRForum
Thank You
6

7. Photo
by
Axel
Fassio/CIFOR
#RestoreTogether
bit.ly/FLRForum
Houria Djoudi
Senior Scientist, CIFOR-ICRAF
7

8. Photo
by
Axel
Fassio/CIFOR
#RestoreTogether
bit.ly/FLRForum
Linking on-the-ground
monitoring with global
models to track
restoration and
processes of
degradation/restoration
Tor-G. Vågen
Principal Scientist, CIFOR-ICRAF
8

9. Data-driven
networks
Systematic indicator
frameworks 9

10. Simultaneous quantification of both
progress towards national commitments
(e.g. NDCs) and local impacts/dynamics
(example for Ghana, soil organic carbon (SOC))
10

11. Photo
by
Axel
Fassio/CIFOR
#RestoreTogether
bit.ly/FLRForum
George Wamukoya
Lead negotiator on agriculture
African Group of Negotiators Expert Support
11

12. Photo
by
Axel
Fassio/CIFOR
#RestoreTogether
bit.ly/FLRForum
Paul Elvis Tangem
Coordinator for the Great Green Wall Initiative,
African Union Commission
12