Recent work of the SCF on enhancing coherence and coordination of forest finance

The SCF initiated in 2014 its consideration on the issue of coherence and coordination of financing for forests and its third forum on forest finance. In its consideration, the SCF decided to prepare a working paper on the issue of coherence and coordination of financing for forests and invited its members and interested observers to provide relevant information/case studies. Received submissions can be accessed here. In 2015, the working paper was published as the background document for the 2015 SCF forum on forest finance. The working paper can be found in 2015 SCF forum website.

In 2015, the SCF organized the third SCF forum, entitled "Enhancing coherence and coordination of forest financing", which took place on 8 and 9 September 2015 in Durban, South Africa. More information on the third SCF forum, including the presentation slides can be found on the 2015 SCF forum website. Based on the outcomes of the third SCF forum, the SCF prepared conclusions and recommendations for consideration by the COP, as contained in annex II of the SCF report to COP 21. COP 21 noted the recommendations from the SCF by decision 6/CP.21.

In 2016, the SCF agreed to undertake the following activities, to improve coherence and coordination of forest finance, to build upon the rich discussions that took place at the 2015 SCF forum and the momentum generated:

1. An overview of forest finance flows in the 2016 biennial assessment and overview of climate finance flows;

2. Consideration of reaching out to entities financing the activities referred to in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 70, and other relevant stakeholders working on forest finance to strengthen the coherence and coordination between the forestry sector and sectors that drive deforestation and forest degradation, and in the access to and delivery of support

3. Organization of an SCF side event in conjunction with a UNFCCC conference session in 2016, to facilitate the interactions among the financing entities providing forest finance

4. Consideration of the outcomes of the above-mentioned activities at SCF meetings, with a view to preparing SCF recommendations for COP 22 on, inter alia, draft guidance to the operating entities of the Financial Mechanism.

In addition, the SCF was represented by  Mr. Georg Børsting ¸rsting at the third voluntary meeting on the coordination of support for the implementation of REDD+ activities, which took place on 23 May 2016, who delivered a presentation on behalf of the SCF.
The presentation slides are available here.

All relevant SCF meeting documents relating to forest finance can be found here.

Mandate
In Warsaw, by decision 7/CP.19, the Conference of the Parties (COP) requested the Standing Committee on Finance (SCF) to consider, in its work on coherence and coordination, inter alia, the issue of financing for forests, taking into account different policy approaches. Furthermore by decision 9/CP.19, the COP also requested the SCF to focus its soonest possible forum on issues related to finance for forests, including the implementation of the activities referred to in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 70, inter alia: (a) Ways and means to transfer payments for results-based actions as referred to in decision 1/CP.18, paragraph 29; (b) The provision of financial resources for alternative approaches. COP 19 further requested the SCF to invite experts on the implementation of the activities referred to in decision 1/CP.16, paragraph 70, to the forum.

At COP 20 in Lima, by decision 6/CP.20, the COP encouraged the SCF to continue to engage with all relevant actors working on forests in the preparation of the forum, with a view to ensuring broad participation. By the same decision, the COP invited the SCF to consider, in the context of its third forum, inter alia, decisions relevant to activities referred to in decision 1/CP.16 paragraph 70, including decisions 1/CP.16, 2/CP.17, 12/CP.17 as well as decision 9/CP.19 to 15/CP.19.

At COP 21 in Paris, by decision 6/CP.21, the COP welcomed the third forum of the SCF on enhancing the coherence and coordination of forest financing, held on 8 and 9 September 2015 in Durban, South Africa. Furthermore, the COP noted the recommendations of the SCF on its third forum, as contained in annex II of the SCF report to COP 21.

Past events of the SCF on forest finance