La « Déclaration de Bakou sur les forêts » appelle à la justice climatique : les droits des peuples autochtones et la protection des forêts au cœur de la COP 29

(Bakou, Azerbaïdjan, 19 novembre) – Alors que les dirigeants mondiaux se réunissent à la COP 29, la Coalition mondiale pour les forêts (CMF) et les membres et alliés d’Asie centrale et du Caucase ont publié la « Déclaration de Bakou sur les forêts », appelant à un changement de paradigme dans les négociations sur le climat pour donner la priorité à la protection des forêts, aux droits des peuples autochtones et à la justice climatique. Cette déclaration historique appelle la présidence de la COP 29 et les parties à l’Accord de Paris à s’attaquer aux impacts dévastateurs des incendies de forêt et de la déforestation, à reconnaître le rôle essentiel des forêts naturelles et à aller au-delà des fausses solutions dictées par le marché pour parvenir à une action climatique durable.

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The declaration, signed and endorsed by more than 30 organisations from across the Caucasus and the globe, including groups from Armenia, Russia, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan emphasises the alarming impact of fires and deforestation on local ecosystems and biodiversity. In 2024 alone, forest fires across Russia destroyed over 7.7 million hectares, an area comparable to the size of Azerbaijan itself. Such fires obliterate entire ecosystems, demonstrating the shortcomings of current climate policies that fail to protect forests from deforestation.

The Baku Forest Declaration sends a strong message to the international community at COP 29. Protecting our forests and empowering Indigenous communities to participate in climate decision-making are indispensable to achieving climate stability.

The coalition calls for the protection of Indigenous People’s rights and the recognition of their traditional knowledge in forest conservation, advocating for policies that go beyond merely seeing forests as carbon sinks. 

“We can no longer ignore that forests are more than carbon stocks. They are homes, water reservoirs, and lifelines for millions, especially in regions like Central Asia and the Caucasus,” said Andrey Laletin, GFC Regional Coordinator for Central Asia and Eastern Europe. “Climate policies must focus on community-based, gender-just, and rights-based solutions.”

In addition to reinforcing the call for equity and climate justice, the declaration emphasises specific policy changes, including the cessation of market-based mechanisms like REDD+ and carbon trading. The statement urges increased support for alternatives that alleviate local communities’ dependency on biomass, such as renewable energy sources and energy-efficient solutions under fair, just and equitable transitions.

“The Baku Forest Declaration sends a strong message to the international community at COP 29. Protecting our forests and empowering Indigenous communities to participate in climate decision-making are indispensable to achieving climate stability,” said Anna Kirilenko, GFC Chair.

Among its recommendations, the declaration advocates for urgent regional cooperation to conserve floodplain river-gallery forests—some of the world’s most vulnerable ecosystems. It also suggests forming continental agreements to conserve forest belts critical for moisture regulation and climate resilience.

With the declaration, the coalition calls on negotiators and governments to acknowledge the role of intact ecosystems and promote fair, inclusive, and sustainable climate action. 

“The time to act is now. If we fail to protect our forests, we fail the planet and future generations,” concluded Laletin.

 

For further information, please contact: 

Megan Morrissey +12023656900, megan@globalforestcoalition.org 

Ismail Wolff +33 7 88 85 28 59 ismail.wolff@globa

19 nov., 2024
Posted in Press releases, Forêts et Changement Climatique, UNFCCC