COP26 saw world leaders recognize that action to protect and restore nature must be at the heart of the response to the climate crisis. From forests that store carbon to the mangroves that help safeguard our coastal communities from the growing risk of floods, the natural world is our ally against climate change. So we welcome the historic declaration to halt forest loss and land degradation by 2030, signed by over 100 countries at COP26; the decision to hold an annual dialogue to strengthen ocean-based climate action; and the US$12 billion commitment by a number of states to protect, restore and sustainably manage forests. Although the COP26 decision recognized nature’s critical role in limiting global warming, we were disappointed that nature-based solutions to the climate crisis were not mentioned in the final text and we will be urging that this is taken up at next year’s COP in Egypt. WWF-backed analysis shows that nature-based solutions are a growing part of countries’ climate action plans, but governments need to do more.
Bialowieza is one of Europe's last virgin forests © Tomasz Wilk
