| United Nations | E/CN.17/IPF/1995/L.2/Add.1 |
Economic and Social Council
Distr. LIMITED
14 September 1995
ORIGINAL: ENGLISH
COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Open-ended Ad Hoc Intergovernmental
Panel on Forests
First session
11-15 September 1995
Agenda item 6
ADOPTION OF THE REPORT OF THE PANEL
ON ITS FIRST SESSION
Draft report
Addendum
Chapter
PROPOSED PROGRAMME OF WORK AND ORGANIZATIONAL MODALITIES FOR
THE OPEN-ENDED AD HOC INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON FORESTS OF
THE COMMISSION ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
1. At its 1st to __ th meetings, from 11 to __ September 1995, the Panel
considered item 3 of its agenda. It had before it the report of the
Secretary-General on the proposed programme of work and organizational
modalities for the Open-ended Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests of the
Commission on Sustainable Development (E/CN.17/IPF/1995/2).
2. During the consideration of the item, statements were made by the
representatives of the Philippines (on behalf of the States Members of the
United Nations that are members of the Group of 77 and China), Spain (on
behalf of the States Members of the United Nations that are members of the
European Union), the United States of America, Australia, China, Malaysia, the
Republic of Korea, Canada, Brazil, Indonesia, Japan, Uganda, Mexico, Finland,
Germany, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Venezuela,
India, France, Gabon, the Netherlands and Costa Rica.
3. Statements were also made by the observers for Norway, Switzerland,
New Zealand, Colombia, Sweden, Ecuador, Guatemala and Portugal.
4. Statements were made by the following specialized agencies: United
Nations Industrial Development Organization and Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations.
5. A statement was also made by the representative of the European
Community.
6. Statements were also made by the following non-governmental
organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council:
International Chamber of Commerce and Friends of the Earth; and by three
non-governmental organizations accredited to the Commission on Sustainable
Development.
Programme of work of the Open-ended Ad Hoc
Intergovernmental Panel on Forests
7. The Panel considered suggestions regarding its future programme of work
as contained in the above-mentioned report of the Secretary-General (document
E/CN.17/IPF/1995/2).
8. The Panel agreed on the need for an integrated and holistic approach in
its work in relation to all of the programme elements as included in its terms
of reference by the Commission on Sustainable Development. Within this
context, the Panel decided that the agendas of all of its forthcoming sessions
should include all the issues in its programme of work in order to allow their
consideration in a balanced and integrated manner.
9. At the same time, the Panel felt that bearing in mind the schedule of
relevant ongoing intergovernmental processes examining issues under
consideration by the Panel, certain issues should be dealt with in depth at
particular future sessions, as follows:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Programme
element Second session Third session Fourth session
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I.1 Initial review Substantive discussion Final consideration
I.2 Substantive
discussion Progress report Final consideration
I.3 Initial review Substantive discussion Final consideration
I.4 Substantive
discussion Progress report Final consideration
I.5 Substantive
discussion Progress report Final consideration
II Substantive Substantive follow-up
discussion discussion Final consideration
III.1 Substantive Some further
discussion discussion Final consideration
III.2 Initial review Substantive
discussion Final consideration
IV Initial review Substantive
discussion Final consideration
V.1 Possible progress Substantive
report discussion Final consideration
V.2 No discussion Initial discussion Substantive
discussion
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It was further decided that all issues would be open for consideration until
the conclusion of the work of the Panel.
10. The Panel took note with satisfaction of the establishment of a
collaborative inter-agency mechanism comprising the organizations most
directly concerned with forest issues. This mechanism was intended to provide
and mobilize substantive support for the work of the Panel and its
secretariat, including through designation of lead organizations which, on the
basis of their expertise and comparative advantage, would coordinate
preparatory work for the sessions of the Panel in relevant thematic areas.
The Panel requested the Co-Chairs of the Panel and the Bureau to maintain
close contacts with the secretariat and the inter-agency mechanism mentioned
above in order to provide policy guidance towards the preparatory work.
11. The Panel requested the Secretary-General, through the inter-agency
arrangements established to support the work of the Panel, and in close
collaboration with all relevant organizations within and outside the United
Nations system, to prepare in-depth and/or progress reports, as appropriate,
for each of the themes to be considered by the Panel. Preparation of these
reports should make full use of the body of knowledge already existing in the
international community and taking into account all relevant results of
ongoing and envisaged meetings and activities.
12. The Panel stressed the need to confine its deliberations within its
terms of reference as determined by the Commission on Sustainable Development.
13. The Panel welcomed various ongoing and planned activities organized by
Governments and organizations to assist in the work of the Panel, on the
understanding that, although the results of such activities could provide a
valuable expert input into the work of the Panel, decisions on any policy
recommendations to be presented for the consideration of the Commission on
Sustainable Development at its fifth session would rest with the Panel itself.
Furthermore, these activities should be in full conformity with the tasks
assigned to the Panel.
14. The Panel stressed that all countries and organizations planning or
proposing to organize meetings and expert consultations in support of the work
of the Panel should ensure the transparent, participatory and representative
nature of such initiatives as well as a balanced and active involvement of
developed and developing countries from all regions and groups. Furthermore,
these meetings and consultations should be comprehensive, and in accordance
with the Panel's terms of reference. The organizers, in the course of their
preparation, should consult with the Co-Chairs, the Bureau and the
secretariat.
15. The Panel reconfirmed the need for broad and active involvement and
contributions of the private sector, major groups and non-governmental
organizations in the preparatory work for, and deliberations at, its future
sessions.
16. The Panel decided that, for its future sessions, the preparatory work on
various programme elements within the five categories in its programme of work
would include:
I
Implementation of United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development decisions related
to forests at the national and the international
level including an examination of sectoral and
cross-sectoral linkages
I.1
Preparation of a report on all types of forests, presenting an
overview of current approaches to national strategies, including links
between national forest plans and sustainable development
strategies/plans, land-use plans and sectoral plans; actions required
under conventions; and a synthesis of lessons learned. In addition,
this preparatory work should also include an assessment of progress made
in implementing national forest and integrated land-use plans and should
identify gaps in need of further attention. The preparatory work would
also benefit from consideration of the Non-Legally Binding Authoritative
Statement of Principles for a Global Consensus on the Management,
Conservation and Sustainable Development of All Types of Forests,
including their ecological and social dimensions, as well as of regional
initiatives and regional dimensions.
The Panel took note of the proposal by Germany to convene a workshop
on the implementation of national forest strategies.
I.2
Preparation for the discussion of this programme element would
require the judicious consideration of an array of contributing factors,
many of them of a cross-sectoral nature. A report on the underlying
causes and cross-sectoral influences on forest degradation and
deforestation should be prepared. The report should bring together key
work in this area and identify gaps in order to guide further work. The
Panel took note of the proposal by Norway to sponsor an inter-sessional
initiative to study consumption patterns and long-term supply and demand
for forest products.
I.3
Preparation for this programme element should take the broadest
possible view and should address the full mandate assigned to the Panel
by the Commission on Sustainable Development. Preparations for the
documentation to the Panel should have the full benefit of, and should
establish links with, the work of the second and third sessions of the
Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Biodiversity.
I.4
Preparation for this programme element would include a report on
experience with afforestation and reforestation, particularly in Africa,
including links to the implementation of the United Nations Convention
to Combat Desertification in those Countries Experiencing Serious
Drought and/or Desertification, particularly in Africa. A synthesis of
the impact of airborne pollutants on forests in central and eastern
Europe, as well as an assessment of ongoing activities and proposals for
possible future action, would also be included.
I.5
Preparation of a report on specific needs of countries with low
forest cover, particularly developing countries where communities and
forest dwellers depend on forests to meet their subsistence needs, such
as fuel, food, forage, shelter and medicinal plants. Preparations for
this programme element should also identify areas of low forest cover,
forests as protected areas and wooded drylands. The report should
include an assessment of the expansion of all types of forest cover due
to reforestation.
II
International cooperation in financial assistance
and technology transfer
Preparations for and deliberations on this cross-cutting programme
element would have to span the three substantive sessions of the Panel
and would influence the deliberations of other programme elements,
especially elements III and IV. Preparations would include a report
reviewing and examining possible ways and means of enhancing efficiency
in delivering forest programmes, including proposals for cooperation,
(i) among United Nations agencies, including the World Bank; and
(ii) between multilateral and bilateral donors. Consideration would
also be given to the issues of mobilizing financial resources and
technology transfer as they relate specifically to forests, taking into
account the ongoing work of the Commission on Sustainable Development
and other relevant processes. The discussion of this issue by the Panel
could benefit from holding expert group meetings or workshops that
include an expert perspective on one or more aspects of this issue.
III
Scientific research, forest assessment and development of
criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management
III.1
Preparation of a report reviewing approaches towards the qualitative
and quantitative assessment of all types of forests, including
information on biological resources and non-timber forest products and
services, as well as information on environmental and social benefits.
Preparation of a report presenting the status of current approaches
and methodologies for valuating the multiple benefits of forests, and
assessing progress in the application and incorporation of innovative
approaches into national accounts. Consideration of this item should
benefit from the deliberation of programme element IV, as well as other
ongoing work done in this field.
It would be important to involve the science community in the
preparations of these analyses in order to explore ways and means of
enhancing the scientific basis for such assessments and valuations.
The Panel took note of the tentative proposal of France to hold an
expert meeting on the issue of forest valuation.
III.2
A report for discussion of this programme element should include a
review of experience of the different national initiatives under way on
criteria and indicators; an examination of the progress in implementing
these initiatives in the field; exploration of ways and means of
facilitating the engagement of regions and countries not yet involved in
a process for the development of criteria and indicators; and an
examination of ways of promoting comparability between criteria and
indicators for all types of forests, should this be judged necessary.
Work under this element should duly take into account site-specific
characteristics. The report should synthesize the outcome of various
initiatives, including those of the International Tropical Timber
Organization (ITTO), as well as the results of Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations/United Nations Environment Programme
regional meetings. The Panel took note of the proposal by Finland to
hold a seminar on criteria and indicators for sustainable forest
management, and of the seminar being considered by Japan on the testing
of criteria and indicators at the regional and local levels.
IV
Trade and environment related to forest products
and services
The broad mandate assigned to the Panel by the Commission should be
examined in a holistic manner. The overall goal is to promote the
supportive roles of trade and the environment. Reports should be
prepared addressing (i) trade in forest products and prevailing market
mechanisms, including market access, factors that distort trade, the
valuation of non-wood products and forest services, and the
internalization of environment costs; (ii) the nature and the current
status of various voluntary schemes and initiatives on product
certification and labelling, their role in promoting sustainable forest
management and their impact on trade; and (iii) the relationships
between sustainable forest management, predicted long-term supply of and
demand for forest products, and changing consumption patterns.
The Panel took note of the proposals by Australia to hold a seminar
on the certification and labelling of sustainably produced forest
products, and by Germany to hold an expert meeting on forest products
and trade, as well as of an inter-sessional initiative by Norway to
study the relationship between consumption patterns in different regions
of the world and the long-term supply of the demand for forest products.
V
International organizations and multilateral institutions
and instruments, including appropriate legal mechanisms
V.1
Preparation of a report presenting an overview and succinct
description of existing institutions and instruments, including their
role and mandates vis-a`-vis programme elements I-IV, and identifying
their comparative advantage, overlaps, gaps and need for enhancement.
The Panel noted the proposal by Switzerland and Peru to sponsor an
independent review and regional consultative process.
V.2
The deliberation of this programme element will be based on a
step-by-step consensus-building process and will be a major item for
consideration at the fourth session of the Panel.
17. The Panel agreed on the need to divide the agenda items to be considered
at its second and probably its third sessions between two in-sessional working
groups, each chaired by one of the co-chairpersons. Specific arrangements
would be determined by the Bureau of the Panel, in consultation with all
interested delegations.
18. Bearing in mind the complexity and a broad scope of issues on its
agenda, the Panel decided that its second session should be held for ___ days
in Geneva and its third session for ___ days in __________.
19. The Panel welcomed the active response of a number of organizations of
the United Nations system and ITTO in supporting the needs of the Panel and
the establishment of its secretariat. The Panel also expressed its
appreciation to all countries that pledged to make voluntary contributions to
support the operation of the Panel, and encouraged all other countries in a
position to do so to consider providing extrabudgetary resources for that
purpose, as had been recommended by the Commission on Sustainable Development.
-----
This document has been posted online by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). Reproduction and dissemination of the document - in electronic and/or printed format - is encouraged, provided acknowledgement is made of the role of the United Nations in making it available.
Date last posted: 6 December 1999 16:48:34
Comments and suggestions: DESA/DSD