Advancement of a Regional Programmatic Framework for Forest Landscape Restoration in Asia
In January 2024, the first version of the Regional Programmatic framework for Forest Landscape Restoration (FLR) in Asia, titled Restoring and Sustaining Landscapes Together (RESULT Asia) has been launched by the FAO. The framework is a contribution to the commitments under the Regional Strategy and Action Plan for Forest and Landscape Restoration in Asia-Pacific (RSAP) endorsed by the Asia Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC) in 2017.
It seeks to advance the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-30 in Asia in line with the strategic priorities of the RSAP to realize and sustain a consolidated regional restoration target of at least 100 million hectares of degraded forests, forestland, agriculture, urban and other lands across Asia. It aims for a coordinated programmatic FLR approach to provide direction, a common and ambitious vision and agreed pathways for joint and independent action in the region. The framework will be facilitated by the RESULT Asia Implementers Network (RAIN) which currently constitutes 26 organizations and brings together key FLR project implementers in Asia.
Within the framework, FLR is addressed as terrestrial ecosystem and wetland restoration of biological productivity, biodiversity, tree cover, forest health, grassland cover, watershed services, soils, fisheries support, and disaster prevention functions through nature-based solutions.
The framework constitutes six core components that target practitioners, investors and donors:
- National FLR plans & targets
- Regional dialogue, learning, collaboration & coordinated action on FLR
- Recognition for & support use of various technical, institutional & social approaches suited to context
- Mobilization of financing for FLR
- Private sector participation and investment in FLR
- Smallholder and community action and benefit from FLR
RESULT Asia targets 25 focal countries in East, Southeast and South Asia which are encouraged to form National FLR Focal Groups and join regional clusters of focal groups to identify and implement restoration targets and national plans. The regional framework will have two layers of implementation. The first layer comprises the activities undertaken by the core team to catalyze and support a movement that implements the regional framework and scales up restoration initiatives across the region (confirmed core team to date constitutes of FAO, UNEP, IUCN, UNDP and ITTO). The second layer of implementation will be self-orchestrated activities by the different implementers as a series of interconnected projects and programs, as the primary way in which the different components of the regional framework are implemented, and national and consolidated regional targets are met.
GIZ Laos with their project Climate Protection through Avoided Deforestation (CliPAD) has joined the implementers network and supports initiatives to reduce emissions and strengthen the resilience of local livelihoods and forest ecosystems through sustainable forest landscape management and the promotion of Forest Landscape Restoration. The strong emphasis on the identification of feasible options for FLR and conservation and the facilitation of partnerships between private sector and villagers will thereby contribute to the learning experiences of the network and framework.
Link to Further Materials
Framework Factsheet
Contact Person
Siegmar Schoenherr
Key Buzzwords
Forest Landscape Restoration, regional cooperation
