By Mayara Subtil*
Ways to accelerate the implementation of the global roadmap to end and reverse deforestation and forest degradation by 2030 are among the main topics discussed this Monday (8), the first day of the Bonn Conference [or 64th SB64], in Germany. At an event organized by the Woodwell Climate Research Center, with the participation of IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute) and EESI (Environmental and Energy Study Institute), scientists, representatives of indigenous peoples, international organizations, and civil society debated six levers considered priorities for transforming climate commitments into concrete actions for forest protection.
“The discussions covered the six levers that science is proposing to accelerate the implementation of the roadmap to end and reverse deforestation and forest degradation by 2030. Among them are conservation as a priority, the alignment of financial mechanisms, trade regulation, leadership and financing for indigenous peoples and local communities, and the connection between the roadmap to end deforestation and the roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels,” said Ludmila Rattis, a researcher at IPAM and Woodwell Climate.
Launched by the Brazilian presidency of COP30, the initiative seeks to transform climate commitments already made by countries into concrete implementation actions. Still under development, it is expected to bring together measures focused on conservation, restoration, financing, governance, and the strengthening of public policies capable of accelerating forest protection in the coming years.
Conservation was identified as the starting point for this process. Although the restoration of degraded areas is essential for recovering ecosystems and increasing carbon removal from the atmosphere, the assessment is that protecting the forests that still stand remains one of the fastest and most effective ways to address the climate crisis.
Another aspect considered strategic is the strengthening of monitoring, reporting, and verification systems for emissions associated with deforestation and forest degradation. The proposal is to improve these mechanisms to incorporate emission sources that are still largely overlooked in national inventories and to increase the transparency of actions to combat forest loss.
The debate also highlighted the need to transform how financial resources are directed toward the forest agenda. Among the challenges identified are aligning financing mechanisms and expanding investments for conservation, sustainable management, and restoration, ensuring that resources reach the areas where these actions take place.
Regulation of international trade was presented as another key front for reducing economic incentives associated with deforestation and forest degradation. The expectation is that supply chains and trade flows will become increasingly aligned with global climate goals.
Participants also advocated for a greater role for indigenous peoples and local communities, recognized as key actors in ecosystem protection. In addition to strengthening territorial governance, the proposal aims to expand these groups’ access to climate finance and decision-making processes.
The coordination between the roadmaps completes the set of priorities discussed in Bonn. The assessment is that the two agendas need to advance in a coordinated manner to enhance the effectiveness of global climate action and accelerate the implementation of the commitments made by countries under the Paris Agreement. Ludmila Rattis also emphasized that the development of the roadmap must consider the full range of benefits that forests provide for climate balance, beyond their role in carbon sequestration.
“Science has already demonstrated that protecting forests is not merely a global climate mitigation strategy. It is also a way to reduce temperatures, mitigate extreme events, and maintain local and regional moisture flows—all essential services for water security in different regions. These benefits must be reflected in the roadmap to end deforestation,” she stated.
Also participating in the discussion were João Veras, from UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme); Dinamam Tuxá, an indigenous leader of the Tuxá people; and Ghanshyam Pandey, from the Green Foundation Nepal.
Bonn Conference
Over the next ten days, countries will discuss key issues on the international climate agenda, including adaptation, just transition, mitigation, and climate finance, in a process that will help set the course for climate negotiations leading up to COP31.
Traditionally viewed as more technical in nature, the meetings of the Subsidiary Bodies of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) have come to play an increasingly political role in recent years. Bonn has established itself as a venue for deepening discussions on recent decisions and laying the groundwork for agreements that still need to move forward.
Among the topics expected to draw attention is climate adaptation. One of the main legacies of COP30 was the adoption of the UAE-FGCR (Belém Indicators for the United Arab Emirates Framework for Global Climate Resilience), an instrument linked to the Global Adaptation Goal. In Bonn, negotiators are expected to discuss ways to improve the technical and methodological aspects of this process.
Just transition is also expected to gain prominence in the negotiations. COP30 approved the creation of the BAM (Belém Action Mechanism for Just Transition), an initiative aimed at strengthening international cooperation, technical assistance, and knowledge exchange among countries. Now, negotiators will face the challenge of beginning to define aspects such as governance, financing, and the mechanism’s operations, with a proposal for its implementation to be presented at COP31.
On the mitigation agenda, attention will focus on the future of the Sharm el-Sheikh Work Program on Ambition and Implementation in Mitigation, currently the only formal negotiation space dedicated exclusively to the topic within the UNFCCC. The program faces questions about its continuity and is expected to be the subject of debate throughout the conference.
*IPAM Communications Analyst. mayara.barbosa@ipam.org.br
