Governing Tropical Forests and Peatlands under Climate Change: From Fragmented Policies to Integrated Landscape Action

Climate change makes overcoming these governance gaps increasingly urgent. Protecting a peatland area, for example, may have limited long-term impact if drainage continues elsewhere within the same hydrological system. Similarly, forest and peatland restoration cannot be sustained without addressing land tenure, community livelihoods, fire management and competing land-use interests. Effective climate action therefore requires moving beyond isolated conservation and restoration projects towards integrated landscape governance that connects ecological processes with land-use planning, institutions and socioeconomic priorities.

An integrated landscape approach provides an opportunity to bring together science, policy and practice. Improved spatial information, hydrological and carbon monitoring, fire-risk assessment and restoration science can support better policy and planning. However, scientific evidence alone is insufficient. Strong institutional coordination, clear mandates, transparent monitoring and accountability, secure land and resource rights, meaningful participation of local and Indigenous communities, and sustainable financing are equally important for translating knowledge into effective action.

The session will provide a platform to share lessons learned, practical experiences and recommendations on how governance arrangements can better connect science, policy and local action. It will also explore how governments, communities, researchers, civil society and the private sector can work together to strengthen integrated management of tropical forests and peatlands under climate change.

Objectives:

The discussion aims to explore how stronger and more integrated governance can improve the conservation, sustainable management and restoration of tropical forests and peatlands in the context of increasing climate risks.

1. Discuss the roles of government, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, research institutions, civil society and the private sector in strengthening inclusive and accountable forest and peatland governance.
2. Share experiences, lessons learned and practical solutions from tropical forest and peatland landscapes, including approaches that have successfully translated policies and scientific knowledge into action on the ground. 3) Identify opportunities to strengthen monitoring, accountability and adaptive management, ensuring that conservation and restoration interventions deliver measurable and sustainable ecological, climate and livelihood outcomes.

Expected Output

1. A shared understanding of the key governance challenges affecting tropical forest and peatland management, including policy fragmentation, institutional coordination, land tenure, implementation gaps and cross-sectoral pressures.
2. Lessons learned and practical recommendations from tropical forest and peatland landscapes that can inform more integrated, inclusive and climate-resilient governance approaches.
3. Areas for collaboration and follow-up action, including opportunities for joint research, capacity building, policy dialogue, monitoring, knowledge exchange and landscape-level initiatives.