Global Landscapes Forum

Global Landscapes Forum
Name	Global Landscapes Forum
Formation	2013
Type	Non-profit initiative
Headquarters	Bonn
Location	Bonn

Global Landscapes Forum is an international initiative that convenes actors from United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Convention on Biological Diversity, World Bank Group, Food and Agriculture Organization, and United Nations Environment Programme to address integrated landscape approaches to climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation, and sustainable development. Founded in 2013, it links scientists, policymakers, indigenous leaders, private sector representatives, and civil society organizations including World Resources Institute, Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, and International Union for Conservation of Nature to shape policies and finance for land use, agriculture, and forestry.

History

The initiative emerged after high-profile processes such as United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development and negotiations at United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change gatherings in the early 2010s, drawing on expertise from Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Convention on Biological Diversity, REDD+, and the Paris Agreement negotiations. Early supporters included German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Global Environment Facility, World Bank Group, United Nations Development Programme, and prominent research centers like CIFOR and CGIAR. Founding events connected leaders from Rio+20, COP21, Bonn Climate Change Conference, and forums such as World Economic Forum, aligning agendas with actors from African Union, European Commission, G20 Summit, and regional bodies like ASEAN.

Mission and Objectives

GLF’s stated aims draw upon frameworks established by Sustainable Development Goals, Aichi Biodiversity Targets, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Objectives include scaling landscape restoration through commitments similar to Bonn Challenge, catalyzing finance instruments akin to those from Green Climate Fund and Global Environment Facility, strengthening indigenous rights in line with UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and informing policy via scientific assessments linked to Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and IPCC Special Reports.

Organization and Governance

The initiative operates with secretariat support hosted in Bonn and collaborates with institutional partners such as CIFOR-ICRAF, UNEP, WRI, and World Bank. Governance structures reflect multi-stakeholder models seen in Global Commons Alliance and advisory boards analogous to those of IPBES and UNEP Finance Initiative, with participation from representatives of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples’ Organizations, NGOs like WWF, Greenpeace, and research institutions including Oxford University, Yale University, Universidade de São Paulo, and University of Cape Town.

Major Events and Conferences

GLF convenings often coincide with landmark meetings such as COP, CBD COP, and UNFCCC COP, and feature panels with leaders from European Commission President, African Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, and corporate actors like Unilever, Nestlé, IKEA, and BlackRock. Notable gatherings include annual landscapes forums that mirror the scale of World Economic Forum summits, side events at COP21 and COP26, and regional summits resembling ASEAN Summit and African Union Summit, attracting participants from institutions such as FAO, IFAD, ILO, and universities like Harvard University and Stanford University.

Initiatives and Programs

Programs launched reflect priorities from Bonn Challenge, Ecosystem Restoration, Landscape Restoration Accelerator, and finance mechanisms similar to public–private partnerships used by Global Infrastructure Facility. Initiatives engage actors from indigenous peoples, local communities, and companies participating in commitments like New York Declaration on Forests and deforestation-free supply chain pledges by Cargill and McKinsey & Company-advised strategies. Capacity-building efforts partner with Rockefeller Foundation, Gates Foundation, USAID, and academic networks such as Future Earth and IPBES knowledge platforms.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding streams combine contributions from multilateral donors including European Commission, Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, bilateral agencies such as DFID (now Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office), and private philanthropic sources like Bloomberg Philanthropies and Wellspring Philanthropy. Partnerships span UNFCCC Secretariat, Convention on Biological Diversity, World Bank Group, CIFOR-ICRAF, WWF, Conservation International, Greenpeace International, industry groups like Consumer Goods Forum, and research consortia including CGIAR centers.

Impact and Criticism

Advocates link GLF outcomes to increased commitments on restoration, finance mobilization resembling initiatives by Green Climate Fund and Global Environment Facility, and greater visibility for indigenous rights and gender equality aligned with UN Women priorities. Critics, including activists from Friends of the Earth and scholars connected to Harvard Kennedy School, argue that multi-stakeholder forums risk privileging corporate actors such as Cargill and Unilever over grassroots movements, echoing debates seen around REDD+ and voluntary carbon markets at COP. Concerns mirror critiques of partnerships in World Economic Forum and outcomes of initiatives like Bonn Challenge where accountability, measurable targets, and safeguards for local communities have been questioned by organizations such as Transparency International and Amnesty International.

Category:International environmental organizations