EARTH SUMMIT+5 Special Session of the General Assembly to Review and Appraise the Implementation of Agenda 21 New York, 23-27 June 1997 PROGRAMME FACT SHEETS

	Global Fibre Supply Study up to 2010
	Responsible Organization(s)	The Forest Products Division of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations
	Description	The study will include a compilation of the latest available inventory data, including recovered and non-wood fibre, focusing primarily on the sources of industrial fibre. It will also include a projection and analysis of future developments in fibre supply, based on explicit consideration of the major factors affecting supply
	Issues addressed	Projections of inventory data will be based on sustainable yield, with emphasis on sustainable economic fibre supply.
	Objectives	Presentation of the current and potential future availability of industrial wood and non-wood raw materials and the provision of meaningful information required for future planning and investment programmes in forest conservation and development.
	Results achieved	A methodology and workplan have already been completed. The initial task was to construct an appropriate database for data compilation and information management. A pre-test has already been conducted, definitions developed, and the final input tables for data compilation are now completed. Currently there is a team of experts working country by country through the latest available inventory reports to glean the data necessary to complete a country profile in terms of forest area and growth and yield projections, for the major industrial roundwood producers in Asia-Pacific, Africa and Latin America. The initial database results and a description of the existing situation will be developed by February 1997.
	Lessons learned	There is a great necessity to strengthen efforts made by Governments in carrying out forest inventories, especially the collection and evaluation of data related to commercial volumes, growth, harvesting intensity, etc., as a basis of information for forest policy and planning at the governmental and institutional level.
	Financing	In its vast majority, the study is financed by funds from the FAO Regular Programme.
	Contact	K.H. Schmincke, Director Forest Products Division - Forestry Department - FAO Tel: (+39 6 52253221 Fax: (+39 6 5225618 e-mail: schmincke@fao.org