Engaging in Global Networks: New Memberships
ImageImageLast week, RECOFTC became an official member of the UNFCCC Nairobi Work Programme (NWP) and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) – two important networks for our work on climate change and on forestry more broadly. Membership in IUFRO provides a valuable platform for scientific exchange and international exposure, while becoming a partner in the NWP allows RECOFTC to better support and share ideas with governments, NGOs and the private sector to develop climate change adaptation programs.
IUFRO is a non-profit, non-governmental international network of forest scientists and research institutions, which promotes global cooperation in forest-related research, facilitating the increased understanding of the ecological, economic and social aspects of forests and trees. RECOFTC has been involved in IUFRO for many years in a variety of ways, from contributions to publications under the World Forests, Society, and Environment (WFSE) project to participating in IUFRO fora and sitting on expert panels. Recently, RECOFTC staff, Dr. Yurdi Yasmi and Dr. David Gritten became members of the IUFRO task force on forest governance, contributing expertise on forest governance issues around the region.
“IUFRO provides a unique platform for RECOFTC not only to disseminate our research findings and analysis but also to meet scientists from around the world whose research results can feed into our own research and capacity building activities,” said Dr. Yasmi, RECOFTC’s manager for capacity building and technical services.
Dr. Gritten, RECOFTC’s Program Officer for Forest Policy and Governance agrees: “To be a successful capacity building organization, we need to base our work on research,” he argues, pointing out that IUFRO also provides a useful filter for the massive quantity of forest-related publications released every year.
The NWP seeks to assist Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, particularly developing and least developed countries, to improve their understanding of impacts, vulnerability, and adaptation to climate change; and to make informed decisions on practical adaptation actions. Becoming a partner in the Work Programme gives RECOFTC the opportunity to increase the visibility of our climate change adaptation work in international fora; and to collaborate, network, and share knowledge with other actors on the adaptation scene.
As part of joining the NWG, RECOFTC submitted an Action Pledge to strengthen community climate resilience. It pledged to provide capacity building services to communities, governments, NGOs, and the private sector to support the use of community forestry and agroforestry to help communities adapt to climate change. RECOFTC will achieve this through public awareness raising, participatory learning groups, demonstration projects, training, technical assistance, policy analysis, and communications.
“Joining the Nairobi Work Programme (NWP) will allow RECOFTC to become more active in the climate adaptation debate,” said Jim Stephenson, RECOFTC’s Program Officer for People, Forests, and Climate Change.
Building and expanding on our activities and relationships with key global networks like these helps not only broaden awareness of the value of community forestry, but also increases our own exposure to best practices in our focal areas. RECOFTC looks forward to participating actively in both IUFRO and the NWP to support the development of community forestry to respond to major global challenges.