2022 Annual Thematic Dialogue

Theme: Roles of AFoCO in catalyzing global efforts to reduce and reverse forest loss in Asia to address impacts of climate change, while harnessing co-benefits

Date: 25 October 2022, 13:00 – 17:00 (Kazakhstan time)

Venue: The event will be organized in a hybrid format, meaning that the participants may join either virtually or in person.

Background

The Annual Thematic Dialogue is a dialogue session and platform for forward-looking discussions among AFoCO and its member countries to inform the strategic planning process and programming for the coming years. This activity also aims to harvest the interest of member countries to facilitate achieving AFoCO’s regional and global responsibilities, engage diverse stakeholder groups to make AFoCO’s operation relevant to on-going policy processes and contexts in the member countries. This will be organized as an annual event with a theme-based discourse on strategically timely and relevant topics.

Objectives

To explore and discuss the potential roles of Asian forests and forest sector as Nature Based Solution for climate change while achieving Sustainable Development Goals.
To collectively identify and priority Climate Actions to be delivered through AFoCO to make Asian forests more responsive in addressing climate change.
To share emerging opportunities from Private sector and discuss future. directions of AFoCO to cooperate with potential partners.

Programme

Time (Kazakhstan time)	Agenda/Presentation Topics	Session moderator
12:45 – 13:00	Pre-session videos Continuous play of two videos, including: Introductory video on AFoCO Curated video clippings on the impact of climate change and importance of climate actions in the forests of Asia will be played while the participants are joining	–
13:00 – 13:20	Opening & Introduction The Executive Director of AFoCO will welcome the participants, review the previous dialogue and meetings, and introduce the thematic context and purpose of the 2022 AFoCO Thematic Dialogue.	Mr. Ricardo Calderon, ED of AFoCO
13:20 – 14:00	Inspirational Speeches Each high-profile speakers will be invited to have 15-minute presentation with the following topics: “Climate change and forest disasters in the Member countries”, Dr. Veerachai Tanpipat, Senior Expert at Faculty of Forestry, Kasetsart University “Nature/Forest-based Solutions for climate change mitigation and adaption in the member countries”, Dr. Barney Dickson, Director of Strategy and Policy at the Global Center on Adaptation in Rotterdam, and Co-Director of the Global Commission on Adaptation	(MODERATOR) From Kazakhstan, or Central Asia
14:00-14:15	Coffee Break
14:15-15:15	AFoCO’s role for Climate Actions in the Member Countries Each speakers from the Secretariat and the Member countries will be invited to have 15-minute presentation with the following topics: “Concept of AFoCO Climate Action Partnership”, AFoCO Secretariat “REDD+ Feasibility Study in Aurora, the Philippines”, Forest Management Bureau, Philippines “REDD+ Feasibility Study in Mandal, the Mongolia”, Mongolia Forest Research Association of the Mongolia (tbd) “REDD+ Feasibility Study in Kratie, the Cambodia”, Forest Administration of the Cambodia
15:15-15:30	Coffee Break
15:30-16:45	Moderated open discussion about AFoCO’s role for Climate Actions in the Member countries. The moderator will recap the inspirational speeches and introduce the context of discussion and the guiding questions. (15 minutes). Only the participants who requested for the floor in advance with the written intervention statements will be invited to speak during the session. (40 minutes) – draft questions # On-going national efforts and experience in forest sector to mitigate and adapt to climate change, # Ways to promote Forest-bases Solutions, to address climate change while capturing co-benefits and achieving SDGs # Demand for regional climate cooperation in Asia, and expectations from AFoCO The floor will also be open for spontaneous questions and reactions from the audience at the venue. For those who are joining on-line, the questions will be collected through the chat function of the Zoom and addressed by the relevant speakers. (20 minutes)	* To get inputs from diverse perspectives, research institutions, and Civil Society Organizations (or NGOs) would be invited
16:45 – 17:00	Closing remarks The Vice Executive Director of AFoCO will thank the participants for their attendance and share the next steps, including the publication of the outcome documents and due consideration of the results in the future planning and programming of AFoCO.	Mr. Jin Sunpil, VED of AFoCO