Media invited to hear future of forests at Forest Day 5The media is invited to attend the fifth Annual Forest Day on Sunday, 4 December 2011, as part of COP17 in Durban. Described as one of the leading annual global platforms on forests and climate change, this year, it will have a special focus on the role of African forests in mitigating and adapting to climate change. More than 1000 forestry experts, activists, policymakers, global leaders and climate change negotiators will debate the latest in the UN negotiations on REDD+, (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation in developing countries), a year after governments at the 2010 climate talks in Cancun agreed to include the REDD+ mechanism officially in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It will also discuss how forests can be better harnessed to slow the pace of global warming and help communities adapt to the changing environment. Among the 60 speakers are:
Scientists have warned that sub-Saharan Africa may be among the hardest hit regions by climate change. A string of climate-related disasters, most recently the drought-induced famine in the Greater Horn of Africa has already struck the continent. Journalists can register by emailing gro.raigc@ofniaidem-rofic or view a full lineup of speakers at www.ForestDay.org. For more:
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