Major opportunities for green investment exist and are linked, among others, to the increased use of wood in green building management and renewable energy generation, sustainable management of existing forests, reforestation, agro-forestry and forest recreation. Therefore, investing in SFM means that nearly 10 million new green jobs could be created, providing long-term employment opportunities for rural people and fostering pro-poor sustainable development in many developing countries. On top of this, such an investment would also make a major sustainable long-term contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, since forests and trees are vital storehouses of carbon.
Within this mindset, and in view of the Forum’s multi-year programme of work (2007-2015), its 9th session scheduled for January 2011, will consider the overall theme of “Forests for people, livelihoods and poverty eradication” and at its 10th session, in 2013, the overall theme of “Forests and economic development”. Both themes will address the inter-related impacts of the crisis on forests and people and forests and development. As a result of UNFF8, the Forum Secretariat is also requested to:
- raise awareness of the linkages between SFM and the situation of women and youth who depend on and use forests to meet their basic daily needs, including for food, shelter and fuelwood;
- arrange an interactive panel on the food, energy and economic challenges and opportunities for the implementation of SFM and the achievement of the global objectives on forests;
- synthesize, in co-operation with the CPF members, studies and implementation activities related to the range of values derived from goods and services provided by all types of forests and trees outside forests; and
- develop a strategy to promote North-South as well as South-South cooperation, including triangular cooperation on SFM.
