Quito, Nov 29 (EFE).- More than 700,000 hectares of protected natural forests under sustainable management are the result of a decade of policies aimed at keeping trees standing and providing sustainable livelihoods for their people in Ecuador, which was presented at the COP30 global climate change summit as an example to follow in environmental conservation.

Ten years after the signing of the historic Paris Agreement, with deforestation as the main source of greenhouse gas emissions, Ecuador now has 705,639 hectares under conservation, 353,782 hectares under sustainable forest management, 36,080 hectares restored, and more than 100,000 hectares with sustainable production systems.

Ecuador achieved these figures through the REDD+ Forests for Good Living Action Plan. The results, which have benefited 3.8 million people in these areas, were presented by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment and Energy at an event held on Thursday at the Quito Botanical Gardens.

The event also highlighted the progress made within this plan by the ProAmazonía program and the Payment for Results (PPR) project. As a result, Ecuador has positioned itself as a pioneer and global benchmark in deforestation-free agricultural and livestock production (without further forest loss), with products such as coffee, cocoa, milk, and guayusa, as well as in the restoration of deforested and degraded areas.

The project, led by the Environment and Energy and Agriculture, Fisheries, and Livestock ministries, with the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), contributed nearly 118,000 hectares of forests under conservation, 15,600 hectares under sustainable forest management, and almost 3,600 hectares restored.

It also succeeded in legalizing nearly 19,000 hectares as protective forests belonging to the Shuar indigenous people, implementing traceability systems for producers, and creating sustainable agribusiness centers to strengthen local associations.

In addition, value chains were strengthened through initiatives such as national and international trade agreements for the export of products. In the case of coffee, Italian company Lavazza bought beans for an exclusive origin line.

Shot list: Footage of an event to present the results of the REDD+ Forests for Good Living Action Plan at the Quito Botanical gardens, of Ecuadorian forests and products. Sound bites of Inka Mattila, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Ecuador, and Jessica Gallegos, Undersecretary for Climate Change at the Ecuadorean Ministry of the Environment. Sound bites of Inka Mattila, Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Ecuador, and Jessica Gallegos, Undersecretary for Climate Change at the Ecuadorean Ministry of the Environment.

Inka Mattila “I believe that one must always understand when something new is being done, as that is the secret to transformations with a significant impact. This has occurred with ProAmazonía and Payment for Results. Why? Because solutions and actors have been integrated in a comprehensive and innovative manner.”

Inka Mattila “In addition, it has been possible to work with this vision of territories, involving decentralized autonomous governments and, above all, the communities of the Amazon, which have been the main protagonists of this work. And here it has been understood that a well-supported, innovative public policy can transform lives as long as this reality and this capacity from the territories are taken into account.”

Inka Mattila “Today, Ecuador is a global leader in the deforestation-free production of various products. In addition, people and their well-being have been placed at the center. Local governance and forest governance have also been addressed at both the national and local levels. So this approach of combining different elements and areas of work is what we have definitely seen can transform realities, change people’s lives, and have a greater impact.”

Inka Mattila “In a way, we have been able to accompany the country in accessing opportunities from different climate financing mechanisms, such as the Green Climate Fund or the Global Environment Facility, but this has also allowed us to bring in other partnerships and opportunities in terms of alliances. I never talk about sources of financing alone, but we have also been able to bring in various partners who have contributed not only financially, but also in terms of knowledge.”

Jessica Gallegos “Over the years, REDD+ has been consolidated and positioned as a public policy of the Ecuadorian State, responding to the country’s climate commitments, but also to the needs of communities, producers, conservation and restoration, and improving livelihoods.”

Jessica Gallegos “So, through the field schools, everyone’s agricultural practices were improved, training were improved, but these marketing links were also created here. And we took a little step further. Agribusiness centers were set up. In other words, you went from the field school, telling them about training at the agribusiness center. What happens? It is a center where, in this case, producers and associations provide services to each other.”