Scaling up forest and landscape restoration to restore biodiversity and promote joint mitigation and adaptation approaches in the Mediterranean
Context and objectives
With a total budget of 1,850000 euros over a 4-year period, the project, Scaling up forest and landscape restoration to restore biodiversity and promote joint mitigation and adaptation approaches in the Mediterranean, promoted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), will build regional and national capacity for the implementation of large-scale Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR) programmes.
It aims to the stage for scaling up restoration by creating an enabling environment and demonstrating, through pilot activities applying appropriate FLR approaches, how to contribute to the achievement of national and global restoration targets (NDCs, Aichi Targets, Bonn Challenge and SDGs) and of major carbon and non-carbon benefits (water, biodiversity, livelihoods etc.). This project is the Mediterranean component of a larger global project called “The Paris-Agreement in action: scaling up Forest and Landscape Restoration (FLR) in the context of the Bonn Challenge to achieve NDCs by promoting joint mitigation approaches in Africa, Pacific Islands and the Mediterranean.”
The project will be articulated between regional and national components. At the regional level, key resources will be provided to regional platforms. This component is open to all UfM member states pertaining to the FAO Committee on Mediterranean Forestry – Silva Mediterranea. At the national level, pilot activities applying appropriate FLR approaches will be conducted in preselected sites in Morocco and Lebanon. It aims to be a highly participatory initiative, empowering stakeholders as key actors in FLR planning, implementation and monitoring, with the goal of ensuring the long-term sustainability of its actions.
Location
Key figures
Duration:
2018 – 2022
Countries:
2
Total cost:
€ 1.85M
Workshops:
3
Financial contribution
21% of the total budget needed is financed by the promoter, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Promoter
The Food and Agriculture organization (FAO) is promoting this project through its Forest and Landscape Restoration Mechanism (FLRM) and the secretariat of the Committee on Mediterranean Forestry Questions – Silva Mediterranea. The FAO has a long-standing commitment towards project management best practices and methods, and FLRM has been supporting countries regarding Forest and Land Reforestation Projects since 2014.
Key partners
High Commission for Water, Forest and the Fight Against Desertification (HCEFLCD) of Morocco.
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Sustainable Development of Morocco.
Ministry of Agriculture of Lebanon – Directorate of Rural Development and Natural Resources (DRDNRMoA).
Ministry of Environment of Lebanon (MoE).
Beneficiaries
• Targeted regional platforms / initiatives.
• Target groups at national level (public, private sector, national NGOs).
• Target groups at landscape level (decentralized authorities, local stakeholders, decentralized public institutions).
Key actions
Scaling up forest and landscape restoration to restore biodiversity and promote joint mitigation and adaptation approaches acts on two different levels:
Regional Level:
Organization in the Mediterranean region of one high-level event on the integration of FLR options within the NDCs.
Provision of specialized technical assistance to integrate FLR in the investment frameworks of NDCs and to build capacity on the preparation of concept notes and project proposals for dedicated land degradation and climate financing instruments.
Organization of three capacity-building workshops while ensuring the equitable participation of women.
National level:
Implementation of national FLR programmes through inter-sectoral coordination and relevant policy.
Restoration approaches implemented in each country in selected sites.
Monitoring capacity enhanced: both socio-economic and environmental benefits are monitored with indicators adapted to national/regional contexts.
Expected results
National/regional capacities are enhanced to successfully plan, implement and monitor large-scale programmes mainstreaming FLR.
Efficient regional platforms/networks/initiatives promote the preparation and implementation of large-scale FLR programmes to achieve targets of the Paris Agreement and the Bonn Challenge.
Large scale national FLR programmes are promoted in the two targeted countries (Lebanon and Morocco) to achieve the Paris Agreement and the Bonn Challenge, with a strong potential for upscaling to others countries interested to join.
