Bridging nature and climate through protection of primary forests with high ecological integrity

Dooley, K.; Duchelle, A.E.; Fernandez-Ugalde, J.C.; Wertz-Kanounnikoff, S. ; Boulay, A.; Libert-Amico, A.; Branthomme, A.; Fortuna, S.; Pekkarinen, A.;

Bridging nature and climate through protection of primary forests with high ecological integrity

Autores

Dooley, K.; Duchelle, A.E.; Fernandez-Ugalde, J.C.; Wertz-Kanounnikoff, S. ; Boulay, A.; Libert-Amico, A.; Branthomme, A.; Fortuna, S.; Pekkarinen, A.;

Editor

FAO ;

Descripción

Primary forests, which comprise less than one-third of the world’s remaining forests (around 1.11 billion ha), are where the majority of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity is found. They also comprise the largest proportion of terrestrial carbon stocks with the total ecosystem carbon stored in primary tropical forests calculated at 141-159 Gt C. Furthermore, the world’s tropical primary forests are the customary homelands of Indigenous Peoples who continue to play a critical role in their protection and conservation management. Yet primary forests continue to be lost at a rate of more than one million ha per year (FAO, 2020a). This briefing focuses on the important role of primary forests in meeting climate and biodiversity goals. It also explains science-based principles relevant to policy pathways for protecting, restoring, and sustainably managing these forests.