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Forest Pavilion at COP30 | Belém, Brazil

Daily Programme

All event times are listed in Belém local time (GMT-3).

Monday, 17 November 2025

9:30am – 10:00am

Opening of Amazon Basin Day
Federal Minister Norbert Totschnig of Austria opened Amazon Basin Day by highlighting forests as indispensable nature-based solutions for climate mitigation, biodiversity, and sustainable development. He noted that science-driven and balanced forest management can support prosperity while safeguarding ecosystems, drawing on Austria’s own experience. The Minister emphasized that lasting progress depends on strong global cooperation, stressing the importance of scientific collaboration—particularly through IUFRO—and inclusive partnerships that bring together governments, science, industry, and local communities.

10:00am – 10:30am

20 years of international research on forest-climate interactions (IUFRO)

The session, presented by IUFRO President Prof. Daniela Kleinschmit, reviewed two decades of research showing how climate issues have become central across all forest-related science and policy discussions. Speakers emphasized that forest, climate, and biodiversity challenges are deeply interconnected, while existing international governance and market-based instruments frequently face limitations. The session underscored growing concerns about financial complexity, unequal power, and exclusion, and highlighted the need for more integrated, locally grounded, and people-centred approaches to strengthen forest governance and climate resilience.

Key message:

• Forest and climate science are now inseparable, shaping all major forest policy and research debates.
• Governance frameworks often fall short due to fragmentation, weak implementation, and justice-related gaps.
• Holistic, people-centred, and context-specific approaches are essential for effective forest–climate action.

• Read the concept note.

11:40am – 11:30am

The crucial roles of women, youth, and Indigenous peoples in forest conservation (FPA2, IFSA)

Key message:

The session highlights that genuine inclusion—not tokenism—is essential for effective forest conservation. Panellists emphasized that meaningful participation requires valuing traditional knowledge, ensuring proper application of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), and providing direct, long-term funding for Indigenous and community-led action. They stressed that women, youth, and Indigenous communities are strategic allies whose perspectives and leadership strengthen forest protection, climate resilience, and sustainable ecosystem management.

Key message:

• Climate solutions must be funded at the source, with long-term finance that directly supports Indigenous and community-led initiatives.
• Inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local communities must extend beyond consultation to meaningful participation and decision-making.
• Traditional knowledge systems are essential for biodiversity protection, climate adaptation, and ecosystem regeneration.
• Indigenous Peoples, women, and youth are central to forest conservation; their voices, knowledge, and leadership must be fully respected and integrated into decision-making.

• Read the concept note.

11:40am – 12:40pm

Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program – Connecting people and countries to connect landscapes in the Amazon as a strategy to tackle climate change (World Bank)

This session presents results and lessons from a decade of the Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program across eight countries. It shows how integrated landscape approaches improve protected-area management, restoration, sustainable production, and cross-border collaboration for climate and biodiversity goals.

Key message: Coordinated action across Amazonian countries strengthens conservation, enhances sustainable livelihoods, and advances climate and biodiversity objectives at scale.

• Read the concept note.

2:00pm – 2:50pm

Build trust, create shared value in the forest: Principles for community engagement and development (WBCSD)

The session highlights the evolution of business–community relations in the forest sector, shifting from earlier top-down practices to today’s more collaborative approaches. Panellists emphasize that meaningful dialogue allows companies and communities to learn from each other, identify shared opportunities, and co-develop solutions. Formal models, such as the CMPC framework, support this process by helping define needs, set targets, and measure progress. Building trust emerges as a central theme, strengthening social resilience, ensuring business continuity, and generating wider benefits such as supporting education and discouraging rural exodus. The discussion underscores that trust begins with genuine engagement and mutual understanding.

Key message:

• Thriving companies depend on thriving communities, particularly in the forest sector where operations are deeply connected to local landscapes and livelihoods.
• Community engagement is not only a social responsibility but a strategic business priority that strengthens trust, resilience, and long-term value.
• WBCSD’s new report offers a business framework that helps companies move beyond risk mitigation toward proactively creating shared value with communities.

• Read the concept note.

3:00pm – 4:20pm

The role of Brazilian federal protected areas in advancing inclusive ecological restoration (Brazil / CBC / ICMBio)

This session showcases strategies to scale ecological restoration within Brazilian federal protected areas as a nature-based solution for climate mitigation and adaptation. It highlights how restoration in these areas supports biodiversity, ecosystem services, and community engagement, while contributing to national climate and biodiversity targets.

Key message: Investing in restoration within protected areas maximizes climate and biodiversity co-benefits and succeeds when local communities are engaged and ecological processes are restored and maintained.

• Read the concept note.

4:30pm – 6:00pm

Terrestrial and coastal biodiversity as natural capital: towards locally owned, inclusive and synergetic co-investment (CIFOR-ICRAF)

This event examines how climate and biodiversity actions can be aligned at the local level in terrestrial and coastal ecosystems, including mangroves and peatlands. It presents innovative financing instruments and Indigenous and community-led initiatives that promote locally owned, inclusive co-investment in critical ecosystems.

Key message: Climate and biodiversity finance needs to converge on the ground and support Indigenous and local community leadership to safeguard critical terrestrial and coastal ecosystems and scale up impact.

• Read the concept note.