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With 88% forest cover, Gabon holds a special status as a High-Forest, Low-Deforestation (HFLD) country with the second-highest percentage forest cover in the world (after Suriname). The Government of Gabon (GoG) has demonstrated strong leadership and action to protect its forests. Gabon’s forests store high levels of carbon, harbour exceptional biodiversity, provide resources and livelihoods for rural populations, and regulate rainfall and mitigate climate change at the national, regional and global scales. Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge the planet faces today, yet also represents an opportunity for creating a path to sustainable development through international cooperation. Gabon is forging that path with its Low Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS) to increase economic growth and become an emerging economy through sustainable policies and actions, while conserving its natural ecosystems and contributing to global climate efforts.