COP26 |03 November 2021

President Ramkalawan flanked by PM Johnson and UN secretary general Antonio Gutteres

Leaders sign historic pact to protect forests

President Wavel Ramkalawan was among heads of state and government who signed a historic pact yesterday to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.

This was during the World Leaders Summit event on forests and land-use at COP26, Glasgow (Scotland).

Also present were representatives of companies, financial actors, and non-state leaders.

This agreement will be supported by new funding pledged to protect forests.

The Summit was officially opened by the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and was attended by heads of state and government, including Seychelles.

The event was highlighted by speakers who gave their commitments by joining forces and building consensus on how to strategically protect the forests and land-use, in a way that delivers for the climate, people, economic development and biodiversity.

Furthermore, it showcased how action on forests and land-use can contribute to keeping the 1.5 degree temperature goal in sight, to supporting sustainable livelihoods, and to meeting shared promises on adaptation and finance.

In his address to world leaders at the event, Prime Minister Johnson hailed the new agreement signed by governments responsible for the 85 per cent of the world's forests as an unprecedented step forward for efforts to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises.

The Summit included a video of Glasgow Leaders Declaration FACT Roadmap, whereby President Ramkalawan was also featured stating the urgency of forest protection:

“Forests matter because they are the heart and lungs of our planet. 47% of our land territory is under protection, and we have recently committed to protect the seagrass meadows and mangrove forests in our efforts to survive climate change and protect our biodiversity. Seychelles supports and gives its full commitment to the Glasgow Leaders Declaration on Forest and land use,” said President Ramkalawan.

On the sidelines of the event, President Ramkalawan also met with various key personalities particularly Olympic marathon winner and the first man to run the marathon under 2 hours, Eluid Kipchoge, present at COP26 spearheading the call for Western countries to help African nations deal with climate change.

Press release from the Office of the President