Since climate change is one of the greatest threats to life on earth, it has become imperative that international forest and climate change dedicated instruments and cross-cutting issues instruments are integrated into regional and national policy and legislation frameworks. Such instruments include: (i) the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD), the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Fauna and Flora (CITES), the RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands, and the UN Forest Instrument. Under the Paris Agreement and associated NDCs, national forest- based solution to climate change could be enhanced through more effective implementation of (i) REDD+, and good practices of (ii) Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF). Despite a plethora of forest-related policies and legislation that need to synergize with contemporary regional and international frameworks, national forest governance is relatively weak in Southern and Eastern Africa. These regions have not adequately integrated policy and strategy implementation. Besides, there are poor technical capacities to direct policy and programme implementation among stakeholders. Issues of gender and vulnerable groups are not sufficiently mainstreamed to sustainable forest management. SADC and EAC lack financial support to effectively implement forest and climate change policies, strategies and programmes.
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