25.09.2026
On 7 October 2026, the Scientific and Technical Committee on Forests of AFD (Agence Française de Développement) will bring together experts, researchers and institutional representatives in Nogent-sur-Marne to examine the role of forests within the three Rio Conventions and the mechanisms available to finance practices that benefit forest ecosystems. ATIBT will contribute to the discussions on biodiversity certificates.
Forest ecosystems lie at the crossroads of major global environmental challenges. They contribute simultaneously to climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity conservation and efforts to combat land degradation. They therefore play a central role in the three major conventions arising from the Rio Earth Summit: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
To explore opportunities for greater coordination between these international frameworks, the Scientific and Technical Committee on Forests is organising a thematic day on 7 October 2026 at the Pavillon Indochine in the Jardin d’Agronomie Tropicale in Nogent-sur-Marne. The event is entitled “Forests and forest biodiversity: international negotiation frameworks and financing instruments for ecosystem-friendly practices”.
The morning session will focus on forests as a point of convergence between the three Rio Conventions. Following a presentation of France’s priorities in international negotiations, several workshops will explore the conditions required for greater coordination at national level. Discussions will address the alignment of nationally determined contributions on climate with national biodiversity strategies and action plans, the coordination of financial mechanisms and monitoring frameworks, and the role of restoration and reforestation as common levers for the three conventions.
The afternoon session will examine how these commitments can be translated into action through biodiversity financing instruments. While the financial resources required to conserve and restore ecosystems remain considerable, various initiatives are seeking to mobilise voluntary private-sector contributions through biodiversity credits and certificates.
Two main questions will structure the discussions. The first concerns the choice between rewarding results measured through biodiversity metrics and financing practices recognised as beneficial to ecosystems. The second will focus on ways to stimulate demand for these credits and certificates, particularly through corporate social responsibility policies, public schemes and fiscal mechanisms.
Caroline Duhesme, ATIBT’s Strategy and Innovation Director, will take part in the round table examining whether metrics or practices should be rewarded. She will present the work of the Organization for Biodiversity Certificates, which is helping to develop methodologies for issuing biodiversity certificates based on the implementation of ecosystem-friendly practices.
The event will provide an opportunity to connect international negotiations, scientific knowledge and field-based initiatives in order to identify credible financing solutions suited to the specific challenges facing forest ecosystems.
The event is open to the public, subject to prior registration. The morning workshops will be held in person only, while remote participation will be available for the afternoon discussions.
