RAPID SCALING OF ONE OF THE LARGEST CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN THE HISTORY OF SOUTH ASIA UNVEILED TO WORLD LEADERS AT COP28

Published - 9th December

The Balipara Foundation and Conservation International have revealed the first detailed plans to rapidly scale The Great People’s Forest of the Eastern Himalayas - one of the largest restoration and conservation efforts in the history of South Asia. Starting in 2024, local organisations will work together to plant 20 million trees, conserve and restore over 61 thousand hectares, and benefit more than 178,000 people. The plans were announced to the global conservation community today as an official announcement of the COP28 UAE Presidency in Dubai.

All the conservation work undertaken through this mission will prioritise the lives and livelihoods of local people, with a pro-nature, pro-economy approach. The portfolio ranges from the mountains to the mangroves and includes detailed plans for plantation of mangroves across the Sundarbans in Bangladesh; restoration of land in Bhutan, West Bengal, and Nagaland; Agroforestry projects to reduce animal human conflict and improve prosperity in Assam; and new nurseries in Bhutan and India to supply the reforesting efforts with native saplings.

In addition, a new Rural Futures Fellowship, will train young leaders from rural and indigenous communities across the Eastern Himalayas in rewilding and agroforestry, to create next-generation environmental leaders with practical experience in restoring forests and farmlands. And 2022 Earthshot Prize winners Kheyti, who are based in this region, will develop a pilot and scaling strategy to make climate-smart greenhouse agriculture work for the Eastern Himalayas and generate climate-resilient livelihoods.

Today’s announcement marks the first steps towards the ambitious goal to raise US$1 billion, plant 1 billion trees, and restore and protect 1 million hectares of land across the Eastern Himalayas. The Great People’s Forest will additionally benefit the 1 billion people who depend on this connected ecosystem and who are among the most climate vulnerable on Earth.

In his speech to delegates at COP 28 UAE, Saurav Malhotra, CEO of the Balipara Foundation, said: “The Eastern Himalayas is an urgent conservation priority. Just two months after launching this historic effort, we are proud to see the first rapid scaling portfolio of the Great People’s Forest will urgently accelerate our work to protect and restore our forests for the benefit of people and the planet. And importantly, what we learn along the way will help us to replicate this effort across the region, so that we can reach our target of 1 billion trees and 1 million hectares by 2030. We are proud to announce these ambitious plans to the global conservation community at COP 28, and will continue to work to put this important region on the global conservation agenda.”

Dr. Richard Jeo, SVP of Conservation International Asia Pacific, said: "The Great People’s Forest has a solid science agenda, informed by local knowledge and academic research, which will underpin new community and regional models for conservation and restoration. Through this, The Great People’s Forest can monitor the overall impact of the initiative, including the benefits for soil, freshwater and other connected ecosystems with clarity, to deliver on the initiative’s broader goals for nature, people and planet."

RAPID SCALING OF ONE OF THE LARGEST CONSERVATION EFFORTS IN THE HISTORY OF SOUTH ASIA UNVEILED TO WORLD LEADERS AT COP28

Published - 9th December

The Balipara Foundation and Conservation International have revealed the first detailed plans to rapidly scale The Great People’s Forest of the Eastern Himalayas - one of the largest restoration and conservation efforts in the history of South Asia. Starting in 2024, local organisations will work together to plant 20 million trees, conserve and restore over 61 thousand hectares, and benefit more than 178,000 people. The plans were announced to the global conservation community today as an official announcement of the COP28 UAE Presidency in Dubai.

All the conservation work undertaken through this mission will prioritise the lives and livelihoods of local people, with a pro-nature, pro-economy approach. The portfolio ranges from the mountains to the mangroves and includes detailed plans for plantation of mangroves across the Sundarbans in Bangladesh; restoration of land in Bhutan, West Bengal, and Nagaland; Agroforestry projects to reduce animal human conflict and improve prosperity in Assam; and new nurseries in Bhutan and India to supply the reforesting efforts with native saplings.

In addition, a new Rural Futures Fellowship, will train young leaders from rural and indigenous communities across the Eastern Himalayas in rewilding and agroforestry, to create next-generation environmental leaders with practical experience in restoring forests and farmlands. And 2022 Earthshot Prize winners Kheyti, who are based in this region, will develop a pilot and scaling strategy to make climate-smart greenhouse agriculture work for the Eastern Himalayas and generate climate-resilient livelihoods.

Today’s announcement marks the first steps towards the ambitious goal to raise US$1 billion, plant 1 billion trees, and restore and protect 1 million hectares of land across the Eastern Himalayas. The Great People’s Forest will additionally benefit the 1 billion people who depend on this connected ecosystem and who are among the most climate vulnerable on Earth.

In his speech to delegates at COP 28 UAE, Saurav Malhotra, CEO of the Balipara Foundation, said: “The Eastern Himalayas is an urgent conservation priority. Just two months after launching this historic effort, we are proud to see the first rapid scaling portfolio of the Great People’s Forest will urgently accelerate our work to protect and restore our forests for the benefit of people and the planet. And importantly, what we learn along the way will help us to replicate this effort across the region, so that we can reach our target of 1 billion trees and 1 million hectares by 2030. We are proud to announce these ambitious plans to the global conservation community at COP 28, and will continue to work to put this important region on the global conservation agenda.”

Dr. Richard Jeo, SVP of Conservation International Asia Pacific, said: "The Great People’s Forest has a solid science agenda, informed by local knowledge and academic research, which will underpin new community and regional models for conservation and restoration. Through this, The Great People’s Forest can monitor the overall impact of the initiative, including the benefits for soil, freshwater and other connected ecosystems with clarity, to deliver on the initiative’s broader goals for nature, people and planet."