The ISFL hosted two global webinars in January designed to share some of the key findings and best practices highlighted in its recently released report “Toward a Holistic Approach to Sustainable Development: A Guide to Integrated Land-Use Initiatives”.

These webinars brought together integrated land-use practitioners, community representatives, private sector actors and academics from around the world to open the conversation on global best practices and lessons learned from more than 150 integrated land-use initiatives assessed in ISFL’s report.

A new FCPF report, entitled “Opportunity Assessment to Strengthen Collective Land Tenure Rights in FCPF Countries”, identifies opportunities for the advancement of robust land tenure rights for Indigenous Peoples and local communities in FCPF Carbon Fund countries. The report also yields important lessons on how climate finance can promote social inclusion and climate justice.

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Read related blog from Asyl Undeland, World Bank Senior Social Development Specialist

The World Bank achieved some critical climate milestones in 2021, including Mozambique becoming the first country in the world to be paid by the FCPF Carbon Fund for verified emission reductions generated through community-based sustainable forestry.

The payment signals to international carbon markets that large-scale programs to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation can produce the high-integrity, high-quality carbon credits that buyers demand.

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The FCPF and ISFL recently wrapped up an innovative Sustainable Agricultural Banking Program that worked with banks from several African countries to scale up sustainable value-chain financing in the agricultural sector. In collaboration with leading financial experts and mentors, participants developed new types of financial products tailored to existing or potential agricultural clients.

“The potential and scalability of this banking program are incredibly exciting,” says Carlos Ortiz, Senior Associate at Centrec Consulting Group and program mentor. “This course could become a powerful way to set up banks as agents of change for more sustainable production models,” adds Ortiz.

With support from the ISFL, the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation recently released to the public a scoping report that maps out how the cocoa value chain operates in Colombia’s Orinoquia region. The report serves as an essential instrument to identify challenges and opportunities for expanding sustainable cocoa production.

The report also supports ISFL’s private sector engagement efforts in Orinoquia, which aim to build a sustainable and competitive cocoa value chain, including securing sufficient production that avoids deforestation.

At the FCPF’s 30th Participants Committee and 14th Participants Assembly meetings in December, participants endorsed comprehensive Readiness Packages from Pakistan and Togo. Kenya also presented substantial REDD+ readiness progress.

The World Bank presented an overview of the Bank’s new umbrella trust fund for results-based climate finance – the Climate Emissions Reduction Facility (CERF) – that will be launched in 2022. The Facility Management Team also discussed with participants various options for dealing with some of the consequences of the FCPF Readiness Fund closing in December 2022.

The FCPF recently released its 2021 annual report, highlighting REDD+ readiness and emission reductions progress achieved to date by its 47 participant countries.

During a year filled with unprecedented change and uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, FCPF participant countries stepped up to the challenge with a record number of signed Emission Reductions Payment Agreements and payments for emission reductions.

At the World Economic Forum in Davos: Indonesian President announces national plans to become a leader in global carbon market (CNBC Indonesia)

What does the Article 6 Rulebook mean for REDD+? (Charlotte Streck, Climate Focus)

Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use (UK COP26)

COP26 ‒ the Forest COP (FAO)

Mozambique: Maputo receives $6.4 million to reduce CO2 emissions through REDD+ (Afrik 21)