The Government of Norway has made a major pledge of USD 25 million to the Governors' Climate and Forests Fund to support innovative rainforest states in their plans to implement the Rio Branco Declaration to reduce deforestation 80% by 2020 and provide opportunities to local communities. The pledge will leverage the Fund's efforts to enlist additional public and private funding sources.
The contribution was announced by Hanne Bjurstrøm, Norway´s special envoy for climate change, at last week's Governors´ Climate and Forests (GCF) Task Force Annual Meeting in Barcelona, Spain.
"We depend on the leadership of jurisdictions and state governments in forest countries. Your support is more important now than ever. If we all act together, we create a win-win opportunity of momentous proportions." –Hanne Bjurstrøm, Norway´s special envoy for climate change
The United States joined Norway in calling on additional donors to support the Governors' Climate and Forests Fund. "The United States chose to support the Governors´ Climate and Forests Fund from its inception because it is an innovative initiative with truly transformative potential," said fund Board Member Evan Notman who works with the United States Agency for International Development. "We are excited by the momentum Norway has created and urge others to join us in contributing to the Fund."
With coordination from the Governors´ Climate and Forests Fund, GCF Task Force members will now work to leverage Norway´s contribution to catalyze additional public and private funding sources to close climate-finance gaps. These efforts will be essential in reaching national and global targets to reduce deforestation and limit the global rise in temperature to less than two degrees Celsius.
2020 Revision:
As of 2017, Norway's pledge to GCF Task Force states and provinces is being administered through a partnership between the Governors' Climate and Forests Task Force and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
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