When the Olympic Games officially opened in Tokyo on 23 July, after a one-year delay due to the coronavirus pandemic, many saw them as a symbol of hope, unity and solidarity. And proof that we are stronger together.
That same unity and solidarity will now be key in responding to the intertwined global crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and poverty. And 2021 is certainly a critical year for tackling these challenges, with the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the signing of the G7 Nature Compact and the 26th COP to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNCFFF) all on the horizon.
Partnerships based on strong international collaboration and guided by local expertise will be at the heart of these global efforts. The Olympic Forest, a new initiative of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – in collaboration with charity Tree Aid – is an example of this approach.
Launched in June 2021, the project draws on Tree Aid’s experience tackling poverty and climate change in Africa’s drylands, and is inspired by the Olympic vision of “building a better world through sport”. The Olympic Forest will also contribute to one of the biggest and boldest climate solutions: Africa’s Great Green Wall.
Read also: ‘Massive ice melting hits Greenland after record heat wave
The Great Green Wall is an African-led initiative with an epic ambition; to grow a mosaic of trees, vegetation and fertile land across the Sahel by 2030. Originally envisaged as an 8,000 km band of trees, this ambitious project is now so much more.
The Great Green Wall has become a beacon of hope for the whole Sahel region. But to achieve its goal by 2030, it needs ongoing sustainable investment, visibility and strong, multi-sector partnerships.
This is where the Olympic Forest can help. Working with local communities and particularly women, the project will build local capacity to regenerate and sustainably manage forests and land. Using a community-led, holistic nature-based approach, the initiative aims to protect ecosystems, tackle structural inequalities and raise income to strengthen climate resilience.
The Olympic Forest will work in 90 villages across Mali and Senegal, an area most acutely hit by the climate crisis, but least able to adapt to it. Temperatures across the Sahel have risen by nearly 1°C in the last 30 years, almost twice the global average. For communities living around the Olympic Forest sites, erratic weather patterns with increased droughts and flash floods are causing the steady degradation of ecosystems and food sources. This exacerbates the poverty cycle, increasing the vulnerability of rural populations.
Source: World Economic Forum
