In the first week of September, Panama hosted a meeting of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to begin the process of implementing a regional action plan, mobilising funding and expertise to protect Latin America's forests and the communities that depend on them

Latin America and the Caribbean account for 23% of the world's forest area and almost half of the region's land area, storing vast carbon reserves, protecting biodiversity and supporting local economies. These forests face growing threats from forest fires, pest infestations and deforestation, which put the livelihoods of the region's people and environmental stability at risk. That is why the FAO Forestry Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean gathered in Panama last week to draw up an action plan for mobilising the financial and technical resources needed to protect these ecosystems and develop them sustainably — something that is critical in the fight against climate change.

"Sustainable forest management in Latin America and the Caribbean is not only a regional priority but also an international necessity," said Ewald Rametsteiner, Deputy Director of the FAO Forestry Division. "The Commission provides a unique platform for countries to work together to protect the planet's most extensive and biologically diverse forests, while supporting the communities whose livelihoods depend on them."

FAO figures show that annual forest loss in the region has fallen from 5.5 million hectares in the 1990s to 2.7 million hectares between 2015 and 2020. While this shows progress, Rametsteiner warned that it is not enough to address problems on the scale of the climate crisis. Ahead of COP30 and in line with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, FAO officials called on national governments to regard forests not only as the lungs of our planet but also as an essential resource for sustainable development. "Protecting forests provides clean water, fertile soil and secure access to food for millions of people," stressed FAO forestry specialist Juan Ferrando.

The Commission's 34th session brought together heads of forest management companies, national government officials, FAO experts and representatives of international institutions, global and regional non-governmental organisations, academia, research bodies and the private sector. Delegates addressed sustainable forest management, a large-scale tree planting programme, forest and landscape restoration, and integrated strategies for tackling forest fires, pests and invasive species. The agenda also included promoting biodiversity and developing the forest bioeconomy.

The main focus was, and will continue to be, on increasing forestry funding in order to harness the sector's potential to mitigate climate change and to meet regional commitments to halt deforestation. FAO stressed the need to combine international and national funding from public and private sources so that these goals can be reached as quickly as possible.