Second meeting of the Global Landscapes Forum to be held in the UN City of Bonn on 1 and 2 December 2018
State Secretary for the Environment Jochen Flasbarth will open the international Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) tomorrow. At the Forum, more than 130 speakers from the scientific community, agriculture, governments, indigenous communities, start-ups and the financial sector will discuss the important role of near-natural landscapes at local and global level. The aim is to facilitate an exchange on strategies and approaches to align global commitments with local interests and possibilities. Subjects discussed will include food security, health, livelihoods, business and trade opportunities, including renewable materials and energy. This is the second meeting of the Global Landscapes Forum in the UN City of Bonn. Bonn is also home to the GLF Secretariat, which receives substantial support from the German Environment Ministry. The annual meeting and side events can be followed online.
State Secretary Jochen Flasbarth commented: "If we want to ensure stable living conditions on our planet for the long-term, we need to rethink our use of natural resources. The Global Landscapes Forum is intended to make a contribution to combating biodiversity loss, mitigating climate impacts and fighting land degradation at all levels."
The Global Landscapes Forum is deliberately scheduled immediately before the UN Climate Change Conference in Katowice, Poland. The conservation and restoration of near-natural landscapes is closely connected to international climate action. The GLF is the world’s largest, independent, science-led and multi-sectoral action platform for the land use sector and especially for forests. The GLF Secretariat in the UN City of Bonn strengthens the city as an international hub of climate, environmental and development policy.