Appraisal of the strategic framework for the Danish forest programme and four underlying projects

Forests cover 31% of the Earth’s surface and house 80% of its land biodiversity. They are vital in combatting climate change and achieving the Paris Agreement and UN Sustainable Development Goals. Yet, the world’s forests are disappearing at an alarming rate. Despite increased focus on sustainability, the fight against deforestation needs more effective and inclusive approaches. By acknowledging the strengths and limitations of various strategies, synergies can be developed that can halt deforestation, avoid negative social impacts, and create equitable outcomes. Denmark aims to support this with a new strategic forest programme with projects in Uganda, Ethiopia, the Central African Forest Initiative and the Amazon Fund. PEM has recently finalized the appraisal of this important progamme. The team assessed the quality and feasibility of the forest programme against the Danish strategic development priorities and provided recommendations on the necessary adjustments for follow-up to be taken prior to submission of the final programme. The team also conducted on-ground missions to Ethiopia and Uganda to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the context. Photo: Anna Gade, Uganda