Convened every six years by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Forestry Congress (WFC) is one of the world’s largest global gatherings of foresters. Postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the upcoming 15th session of the WFC will be held on 2-6 May 2022 at COEX, Seoul, Republic of Korea. The theme of the XV WFC is set out as “Building a Green, Healthy and Resilient Future with Forests.”
AFoCO’s engagement at the XV WFC will aim to build momentum towards the launching of regional initiatives, forge partnerships to facilitate the delivery of impacts from ongoing or new programs, and promote the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), and the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, through collective actions with its member countries and strategic partners.
Event Schedule:
30 April (Sat)
| 30 April, 10:00 AM – 17:30 PM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | EVENT PAGE |
| Asian Forest Forum: Research, capacity development and good governance in Asia | |
| The Asian Forest Forum, under the theme of “Research, Capacity Development, and Good Governance,” will provide share national-level forest science and technology strategy and priorities of Asian countries; share ongoing research efforts and the available platforms in Asia; map the current status and needs in forest capacity building, particularly in forest research; identify governance and policy practices to bring science-based policies and appropriate capacity building to the community level; and find practical and applicable ways forward in research and capacity building in the forest sector in Asia. | |
2 May (Mon)
| 2 May, 17:30 – 19:00 PM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | EVENT PAGE FLYER |
| Landscape Partnership Asia: restoring drylands and drought-prone areas | |
| Landscape Partnership Asia: Restoring Drylands and Drought-prone Areas (LPA) aims to contribute to national and international targets on the restoration of forests, agricultural drylands, and drought-prone areas in Central, East, South and Southeast Asia with initial 10 million hectares brought under integrated dryland and drought management by 2032. The event will increase public awareness of Landscape Partnership Asia and its 10-year Vision, Roadmap and Strategy through the official launch; enhance knowledge of key factors driving successful implementation of forest landscape in Asian drylands, highlighting the delivery of critical ecosystem co-benefits; and secure funding and membership interests among participants to invest in and join Landscape Partnership Asia to contribute to the restoration target of 10 million hectares. The side event will feature presentations from Landscape Partnership Asia (LPA) partners and distinguished guests who will join a panel discussion on the importance of forest landscape restoration for achieving land degradation neutrality by 2030, in Asia and beyond. Join founding partner representatives for an overview of Landscape Partnership Asia, why dryland restoration in Asia is important, how LPA is addressing the biggest challenges in the region and how LPA will impact Asia and the world. Audience members will also have the opportunity to participate in a facilitated Q&A. | |
| 2 May, 12:30 – 14:00 PM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | EVENT PAGE |
| (Partner Event) Future direction for forestry cooperation between the Republic of Korea and Central Asia | |
| The Republic of Korea plans to continue to develop forestry cooperation with Central Asia by encouraging them to join the Asian Forest Cooperation Organization (AFoCO) and explore further project opportunities in Central Asia. This event will introduce Korea’s direction for its forestry ODA in Central Asia as well as hold forestry ODA-related meetings with relevant partner countries including Turkmenistan. The side event will feature presentations from Landscape Partnership Asia (LPA) partners and distinguished guests who will join a panel discussion on the importance of forest landscape restoration for achieving land degradation neutrality by 2030, in Asia and beyond. Join founding partner representatives for an overview of Landscape Partnership Asia, why dryland restoration in Asia is important, how LPA is addressing the biggest challenges in the region and how LPA will impact Asia and the world. Audience members will also have the opportunity to participate in a facilitated Q&A. | |
3 May (Tue)
| 3 May, 16:00 – 19:00 PM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | |
| AFoCO Ministerial Meeting | |
| Building on these past discourses, the Second AFoCO Ministerial Meeting will recall global actions and commitments for sustainable development and sustainable forest management. Hence, the AFoCO Ministerial Meeting will provide the venue for the Ministers responsible for forest to reaffirm the high-level support for international forest cooperation through AFoCO; share the priorities in each country in achieving common global goals and commitments; review the progress and contribution of AFoCO and its activities; and shape the strategic direction to implement the actions identified by global goals. | |
| 3 May, 19:00 – 20:00 PM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | EVENT PAGE |
| Green partnership of 20 years between ASEAN and the Republic of Korea | |
The ASEAN-Korea Environmental Cooperation (AKECOP) was initiated in 2000 to enhance the capacity of member countries in the ASEAN region in managing their ecosystems and improve local livelihoods in each ASEAN Member States (AMS). AKECOP researchers implemented regional research to restore degraded ecosystems, agroforestry, biodiversity conservation, biomass, and mangrove conservation. AKECOP collaboration was clearly demonstrated in four areas: project management, research and development, information exchange and technology transfer, and human resource development during the last 20 years. The strategic vision calls for AKECOP to allocate more support for strengthening the capability of all participating AMS to more effectively respond to local and national needs in forest restoration. AKECOP is envisaged to evolve and adopt strategies responsive to the changing needs and challenges required for the maintenance of a healthy and sustainably managed forest ecosystem also envisioned in the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). | |
| 3 May, 12:30 – 14:00 PM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | EVENT PAGE |
| (Partner Event) High-level roundtable on the Peace Forest Initiative | |
| The high-level roundtable will demonstrate and promote the PFI’s goal and vision. It is expected to consolidate partnerships and commitments for advancing the Initiative. The focus of the roundtable discussions will include strategic guidance for future activities of the PFI, such as pilot project ideas, exploration of new potential linkages between sustainable ecosystem management, including land, forest and water restoration, and dispute resolution mechanisms of wider security issues. The key outcome of the event will be delivered to other global fora, including UNCCD’s Conference of Parties (COP) as a contribution to harnessing commitment for ecosystem restoration. | |
| 3 May, 17:30 – 19:00 PM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | EVENT PAGEFLYER |
| (Partner Event) Building healthy and resilient landscapes through forest landscape restoration – Forest-based solutions for climate, biodiversity and livelihoods | |
The Guidelines for Forest Landscape Restoration in the Tropics were recently developed by ITTO in collaboration with many partners including AFoCO, CIFOR, FAO, IUCN and IUFRO under a joint initiative of the Collaborative Partnership on Forest. These new Guidelines are structured around six principles of FLR developed by the Global Partnership on Forest and Landscape Restoration. These six principles are supported by 32 guiding elements to put FLR into effect in the field. IUFRO’s Practitioner’s Guide on Implementing FLR published in 2017 provides comprehensive guidance on FLR as a social process with its seven modules covering the ecological, social and economic aspects of FLR project implementation. In light of the importance of developing and implementing effective FLR interventions for a green post-COVID 19 recovery, this side event aims at presenting key FLR implementation guidelines, including learning modules, and share best practices to accelerate ground-level action for building healthy, resilient, and productive forest landscapes with enhanced climate, biodiversity and livelihood benefits. | |
4 May (Wed)
| 4 May, 09:30 AM – 16:30 PM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | EVENT PAGE |
| Fire Management Forum – Wildfires beyond forests | |
| Organized by AFoCO, this full-day forum seeks to broaden the scope of wildfire management beyond forests to the full suite of sectors including infrastructure, health, transport, tourism and other sectors impacted by damaging fires. The objective of the forum is to broaden the scope of consideration of wildfires and fire management beyond forests to the full suite of sectors including infrastructure, health, transport, tourism, and other sectors impacted by damaging fires. This Forest Fire Forum will also seek to confirm the need for clearer and more relevant data collection on the incidence, causes, sources, motivations, and drivers of damaging fires to underpin stronger review and analysis on reducing wildfire risks, the IFDRM, and stimulate and sustain better approaches through Fire Risk Governance. | |
| 4 May, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | EVENT PAGE |
| (Partner Event) Sub-theme 1 – Session 4: Strengthening governance and verification systems to halt and reverse deforestation and forest degradation | |
This session focuses on country-level efforts to strengthen forest and land governance and verification systems to halt deforestation and forest degradation. The session deals with the role of legal and sustainable production of timber in addressing deforestation and how lessons learned from the forest sector can be translated to the agricultural commodities sector. It will aim to:
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| 4 May, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | EVENT PAGE FLYER |
| (Partner Event) Sub-theme 6 – Session 4: Partnerships and collaboration for sustainable forest management | |
| Jointly organized by the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) Secretariat and AFoCO, the panel will discuss how, in the challenging times we live in, partnerships involving different stakeholders can successfully promote and implement sustainable forest management throughout the world. The main objective of the panel is to present innovative partnerships and projects which support the sustainable management of forests, seek nature-based solutions and promote a circular economy throughout the world in different ways. | |
| 4 May, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | EVENT PAGE |
| (Partner Event) Unlocking private green finance to halt deforestation and forest degradation and accelerate climate action | |
| This event aims to overview the successful stories of involvement of private sectors to conserve forest ecosystem and share benefits with local stakeholders, as well as to trigger active participation of the private sector in sustainable forest management by creating both economic and social value. | |
| 4 May, 12:30 – 14:00 PM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | EVENT PAGE FLYER |
| (Partner Event) Can bioenergy from degraded peatlands provide a potential alternative to meet growing energy demands? Lessons from Indonesia | |
Bioenergy plants grown on degraded peatlands can serve the double function of restoration and providing a sustainable source of energy. With demand for sustainable energy growing significantly across the world, including in the global South and tropical peatland regions, there is an urgent need to rebuild resilient landscapes with multiple functions. Knowing which bioenergy crops are suitable for cultivation on degraded lands is vital. Other crucial considerations include how such crops can enhance incomes for communities, support biodiversity and sustainable development. The use of agroforestry systems can be a win-win solution, offering agricultural production with fewer damaging environmental consequences. This event will encourage open dialogue around the following topics:
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5 May (Thu)
| 5 May, 09:00 – 10:30 AM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | EVENT PAGE |
| International Drylands Greening Network | |
| The urgent greening and restoration of degraded forests and landscapes in drylands is essential if the global community is to meet with challenges posed by desertification, food insecurity, climate change and biodiversity loss, among other negative trends. To develop the network among forest related institutions in drylands countries, especially in the Central Asian Region (CAR), related organizations will be invited and shared their experiences and knowledge on ecosystem restoration and land degradation neutrality. The outcomes of this side event will be compiled into the work plan for the green cooperation between the Republic of Korea and the Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan) in forest sector, and expected to be developed the relevant follow-up projects and programs. The objective of the event is to share the real needs and discuss practical solution in forest sector in CAR; share the experiences and knowledge in forest restoration of the Republic of Korea; and discuss the ways of cooperation in forest sector between the Republic of Korea and CAR. | |
| 5 May, 10:00 – 11:30 AM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | EVENT PAGE |
| (Partner Event) Forest biosecurity as a shared responsibility – towards a global framework | |
| There are many voluntary guidelines and international and regional agreements that address this issue, however, capacity to implement them varies. Following these national and organizational examples, FAO, together with partners, aims to develop and implement a guide targeting policymakers and regulators, to discuss strategies to increase awareness with and engage the public in forest biosecurity actions. The guide will facilitate the establishment of a coordinated global Biosecurity programme for Forestry to enlist the world’s citizens in the fight against forest invasive species. This side-event brings together experts in this field to introduce the proposed programme and formulate a draft proposal for further development of a guide. It is expected that the programme could be repeated for other sectors, informing ‘One Health’. | |
6 May (Fri)
| 6 May, 10:00 AM – 13:30 PM (GMT+9, Seoul time) | FLYER |
| (Partner Event) International Symposium of Building Network for Forest Research and Education: Diverse Values in Experimental Forest | |
| KoAGI, as the main design agency for the AFoCO experimental forest, organizes the international symposium to promote diverse values in the utilization of experimental forests to enhance research capacity in the forest and forestry sector. Researchers and experts from the Asian region will be invited to share knowledge on how they endeavor to enhance regional cooperation in long-term forest research, educational programs, network cooperation, sub-regional research center establishment, and so on. In particular, the design concept and basic plan for the AFoCO experimental forest will be introduced to build up prospective research partnerships for the region. | |
