GCP/RAS/11107/GFF: Technical support for shaping a regional vision for primary forest conservation in Southeast Asia and the Pacific

The services being sourced are:

1. Conduct scoping consultations with focal country governments of the Southeast Asia and the Pacific Forest Integrated Programme (IP) on their interest and buy-in into developing a regional vision for the primary forests of Southeast Asia. The scoping consultations should focus on (i) mapping the focal government agencies responsible for forest policy and international processes related to forests and the environment, (ii) engaging with these focal agencies, including forest and environment departments, outlining the target for Output 1.1 of the RCP and scoping initial interests, national positions and potential hurdles related to the regional vision building, (iii) identification of national thematic priorities[1] that countries would be willing to champion for developing thematic sub-visions, strategies and action plans based on mutual interest with other countries, and (iv) documenting key lessons from the consultations, informing the next task below (preparation of a concept note).
2. Facilitate engagement with the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission as potential regional sponsor / host for vision building on primary forests and solicit their requirements. The task will involve the preparation of background documents and facilitating meetings with the Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission (APFC) to ensure that consultations for vision-building can initially take place under the APFC framework. In parallel, vision-building under the umbrella of other regional entities such as the ASEAN Secretariat, and CBD Regional Centres may be explored. Once the sponsor for vision-building is confirmed, identify and document the formal, financial, procedural and organisational requirements of this sponsor for shaping the vision-building process.
3. In close collaboration with national CBD Focal Points and GEF Operational Focal Points, prepare a concept note outlining the technical background, scope, strategy, process, and potential risks of building a regional vision on the conservation and sustainable use of primary forests in Southeast Asia and the Pacific applying a bottom-up approach. The concept note needs to integrate the findings of country consultations conducted under (1) along with guidance received from national CBD Focal Points, GEF Operational Focal Points, as well as national forest and environment departments, and outline the nationally championed thematic subjects. The concept needs to be closely aligned with CBD targets, including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and linked to national instruments/processes that in turn take guidance from the KM-GBF, such as NBSAPs. Additionally, the concept should also be aligned with UNFCCC targets, and relevant NDCs under the Paris Agreement. Finally, the concept needs to identify and link to financing opportunities through the GEF-9, GBFF, KBF, Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF),[2] and other channels. The indicative scope of the concept is to (i) provide an analysis of the possibilities and limitations of establishing a regional policy agenda for primary forest conservation and sustainable use in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, (ii) define and analyse possible pathways to reach to a shared vision, strategy, and action plan on primary forests, including through a bottom-up process[3] (ii) define the scope of the vision building (e.g. non-binding Ministerial Declaration on Primary Forests, action under the framework of the TFFF, etc.), (iii) outline the complementary regional strategy framework specifying how the vision will be achieved, including strategic focal pillars, timelines, indicators, and its alignment with pre-existing country commitments, and with country-championed thematic areas of vision-building, (iv) outline the establishment modalities and procedures, as well as membership of a regional coordinating body tasked with developing the vision and subsequently overseeing the implementation of the complementary strategy (initially this may be an informal intergovernmental working group, to be elevated to the level of a permanent intergovernmental task force over time, e.g. as ASEAN Primary Forest Conservation Task Force), including any necessary data collection templates, and formats, (v) outlining the roles of the working group, including coordination, monitoring, policy guidance/analysis, preparation of shared strategic priorities for endorsement, lead for national consultation processes, (vi) resource mobilisation strategy for implementing the complementary strategy (e.g. with possible linkages to the Southeast Asia and the Pacific Primary Forest Investment Forum, TFFF, and/or by establishing a regional primary forest conservation fund), (vii) integration of the vision and strategy with global, regional and national processes (these could include agreement on uniform definitions and mandatory agreed monitoring methods, joint reporting, encouragement to harmonise national laws with the regional vision, alignment with MEAs, transboundary collaboration, etc.). The concept should also outline (viii) the potential risks associated with the vision building process and introduce realistic risk mitigation measures, and (ix) carefully weigh the options of the geographic scope (primary forests of up to ten eligible countries of the IP in line with FAO and IUCN policies) and provide recommendations. This concept and the regional diagnostic on primary forests (scope of RCP Output 5.1) need to mutually inform each other. The concept also needs to mainstream cross cutting priorities, including the rights of Indigenous Peoples and gender responsiveness.
4. Establish a technical working group consisting of relevant government representatives and other relevant stakeholders supporting regional vision building. The establishment of the working group shall build on the consultations conducted under (1) and the concept prepared under (2). Depending on the geographic scope identified, the working group may be called “Southeast Asia and the Pacific Primary Forest Technical Working Group”. The scope of the working group establishment shall encompass (i) nominations to be sought from relevant national government organisations (Ministries of Forests, Environment, and Climate Change, CBD National Focal Points, GEF Operational Focal Points), intergovernmental organisations (e.g. APFC, ASEAN, ITTO), and/or their subsidiary bodies (e.g. ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity), as appropriate, similar regional working groups/intergovernmental processes for lessons and best practices (e.g. Mekong Commission, Coral Triangle Initiative), regional representatives of Indigenous Peoples (e.g. Asian Indigenous People’s Pact Foundation), relevant Civil Society, NGOs and research organisations (RECOFTC, Forest People’s Programme, CIFOR-ICRAF, WRI), and potentially private sector interest groups focusing on environmental sustainability (e.g. Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, etc.) and the confirmation of membership. (ii) Technical working group members shall receive guidance for the preparation of national level position papers that outline status, trends, challenges and proposals for the conservation and sustainable use of primary forests. These national position papers outline in detail the thematic sub-visions to be sponsored by individual countries. They are to be widely consulted and should form the basis for the regional negotiations. In addition, (iii) the host organisation of the technical working group should be defined.[4]
5. Technically design a stand-alone session on Output 1.1 in the Annual Southeast Asia and the Pacific Primary Forest Conference to be held early in Project Year 2. The standalone session will utilise the opportunity of stakeholder participation (both in-person and online) in the annual conference for further structuring the themes of vision building developed remotely in initial versions by the Southeast Asia and the Pacific Primary Forest Technical Working Group and reach initial consensus in fundamental contents. The event will also focus on reaching consensus on the format of  subordinate strategies to operationalise the implementation of agreed themes of vision.
6. Technically design a multi-stakeholder forum with participation of the technical working group and other relevant government and non-government representatives (to be held in Project Year 2). The forum should lay the groundwork for the regional endorsement of the vision. The regional forum may involve high-level keynote presentations on day 1, thematic presentations of technical working group sessions focusing on agreed topics, biodiversity, policy, monitoring, reporting, finance, Indigenous Peoples, etc. on days 2 and 3, a regional policy simulation to negotiate and draft shared language between countries on day 4, and consensus-building and drafting of the final text of the regional declaration on primary forests on day 5.

The resulting outputs include:

1. Scoping consultations with up to 10 governments
2. Facilitation of engagement with regional platforms/processes
3. Concept note for a regional intergovernmental vision and strategy on the conservation and sustainable use of primary forests in Southeast Asia
4. Establishment and facilitation of three country-championed thematically-focussed technical working groups for primary forest conservation and sustainable use
5. Stand-alone session on Output 1.1 in the Annual Southeast Asia and the Pacific Primary Forest Conference 2026 technically designed with all relevant materials to be presented.
6. Design of a dedicated, high level multi-stakeholder meeting for reaching consensus on and preparing the regional declaration on primary forests