In collaboration with Deputy Mayor Arnaud Ngatcha and Ville de Paris' international relations team (Délégation générale aux relations internationales), Cities4Forests was invited to help organise the 3ème édition de la Conférence sur la Préservation des Forêts at the Pavillon de l’Arsenal. The full day event followed the XIX Francophonie Summit held in Villers-Cotterêts and Paris, France and explored tropical forests, rural and indigenous livelihoods, urban wellbeing, and the role of conservation timber and non-timber products in the emerging global bioeconomy.

A select group of international Francophone leaders, including mayors, ministers, Indigenous chiefs, CEOs, and NGO representatives, were invited to explore how cities and forests can foster greater interdependence in their shared mission to co-create a thriving, sustainable planet. Senior leadership from five African countries, ten major conservation NGOs, development agencies, architects, and private sector leaders participated. Together, we initiated the draft of a declaration to be developed on our shared path to COP30 in Belém, Brazil.

We are honoured to be collaborating with the City of Paris, and other cities and organisations to restore, transform and co-design living systems for a thriving planet. If you are interested in participating in this declaration please contact us!

Event Highlights

• Opening remarks from Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, and Arnaud Ngatcha, Deputy Mayor of International Relations.

• Scott Francisco from Pilot Projects delivered his debut public speech in French, warmly welcoming the representatives. Pictured are Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris; Arnaud Ngatcha, Deputy Mayor of Paris; Roger Mbassa Ndine, Mayor of Douala, Cameroon; and Gén. Judes Rapontchombo, Mayor of Libreville, Gabon. The transcript of his speech is available in both French and English.

• Remarks by Laurent Tchagba, Minister of Water and Forests of Côte d'Ivoire.

• Presentations and dialogue among elected officials and climate and forestry experts on the role of forests in economic development and climate change mitigation, supported with remarks by Mathieu Traversy, Mayor of Terrebonne (Québec, Canada) and Blandine Barreau, Strategic Collaborations Coordinator at the International Energy Agency.

• Discussions on balancing primary forest preservation with economic growth, supported with remarks by Dieudonne Bantsimba, Mayor of Brazzaville (Republic of Congo) and Bertrand Walckenaer, CEO General of the French Development Agency.

• Panel discussions with representatives from Cities4Forests, Climate-KIC and WWF.

Exploring Forest-City Relationships

The conference explored the critical connections between cities and global forests, with a special emphasis on francophone regions and faraway forests such as:

• Tropical forests in Africa and South America, rich in biodiversity.

• Boreal forests in the far north, crucial for carbon storage.

  
  

Leaders discussed governance and policies that foster sustainable relationships between cities and forests. These discussions aligned with global environmental targets, including:

• COP 21 Paris Agreement

• COP 15 Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

• United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

  
  

Key Outcome: A Joint Declaration

A key outcome of this conference was the initiation of a joint declaration on city-forest partnerships, planned for presentation at COP 30 in Belém. This session was led by Pilot Projects, focusing on defining the terminology and framework. The declaration is currently in development, drawing on the robust discussions that took place during the event.

To support this process and engage more Francophone readers, we translated the Better Forests, Better Cities report, developed by the Cities4Forests team and published by WRI, into French.

This report summarizes the global scientific literature on how and when forests - within, near and far from cities - contribute to health and well-being, water security, climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation for cities and their residents. As city leaders face the growing demands of urban populations, coupled with the impacts of a rapidly changing climate, they should consider the role that forests can play in meeting these challenges and the needs of city residents.

The French version of Better Forests, Better Cities is available by clicking on the image below. The English version is also available.

Building on Previous Conference Outcomes

March 7, 2024 – The Buildings & Climate Global Forum in Paris focused on the importance of wood

and biobased materials in reducing carbon emissions from the built environment. By showcasing the ability to store carbon, the conference called on governments to implement supportive policies and procurement practices, encouraging investment in sustainable forestry while advancing a climate-resilient, low-carbon future.

October 6, 2021 – The Paris initiative for Central African forest conservation highlighted sustainable forest management (SFM) as a vital approach for safeguarding the Congo Basin's biodiversity and supporting local populations. Experts underscored the need for greater market support for certified tropical timber to enhance both forest protection and sustainable economic development.