Six Global Forest Goals agreed at UNFF Special Session

On 20 January 2017, the Special Session of the UN Forum on Forests adopted the recommendations of the Working Group of the Forum, which featured the first ever UN Strategic Plan for Forests. The UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030 provides a global framework for actions at all levels to sustainably manage all types of forests and trees outside forests and halt deforestation and forest degradation.

At the heart of the Strategic Plan are six Global Forest Goals and 26 associated targets to be achieved by 2030, which are voluntary and universal. They support the objectives of the International Arrangement on Forests and aim to contribute to progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, the Paris Agreement adopted under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and other international forest-related instruments, processes, commitments and goals.

Actions and commitments by Member States are critical for the achievement of the global forest goals and targets. As outlined in the Strategic Plan and quadrennial programme of work, Member States may announce their “voluntary national contributions” towards achieving these goals and targets at upcoming sessions of the UN Forum on Forests.

The following text is extracted from the advance unedited version of the UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-203.

Global Forest Goal 1

Reverse the loss of forest cover worldwide through sustainable forest management, including protection, restoration, afforestation and reforestation, and increase efforts to prevent forest degradation and contribute to the global effort of addressing climate change.

• 1.1 Forest area is increased by 3% worldwide.
• 1.2 The world’s forest carbon stocks are maintained or enhanced.
• 1.3 By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.
• 1.4 The resilience and adaptive capacity of all types of forests to natural disasters and the impacts of climate change is significantly strengthened worldwide.

Global Forest Goal 2

Enhance forest-based economic, social and environmental benefits, including by improving the livelihoods of forest dependent people.

• 2.1 Extreme poverty for all forest dependent people is eradicated.
• 2.2 Increase the access of small-scale forest enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets.
• 2.3 The contribution of forests and trees to food security is significantly increased.
• 2.4 The contribution of forest industry, other forest-based enterprises and forest ecosystem services to social, economic and environmental development, among others, is significantly increased.
• 2.5 The contribution of all types of forests to biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaptation is enhanced, taking into account the mandates and ongoing work of relevant conventions and instruments.

Global Forest Goal 3

Increase significantly the area of protected forests worldwide and other areas of sustainably managed forests, as well as the proportion of forest products from sustainably managed forests.

• 3.1 The area of forests worldwide designated as protected areas or conserved through other effective area-based conservation measures is significantly increased.
• 3.2 The area of forests under long-term forest management plans is significantly increased.
• 3.3 The proportion of forest products from sustainably managed forests is significantly increased.

Global Forest Goal 4

Mobilize significantly increased, new and additional financial resources from all sources for the implementation of sustainable forest management and strengthen scientific and technical cooperation and partnerships.

• 4.1 Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation.
• 4.2 Forest-related financing from all sources at all levels, including public (national, bilateral, multilateral and triangular), private and philanthropic financing is significantly increased.
• 4.3 North-South, South-South, North-North and triangular cooperation and public-private partnerships on science, technology and innovation in the forest sector are significantly enhanced and increased.
• 4.4 The number of countries which have developed and implemented forest financing strategies and have access to financing from all sources is significantly increased.
• 4.5 The collection, availability and accessibility of forest-related information is improved through, for example, multi-disciplinary scientific assessments.

Global Forest Goal 5

Promote governance frameworks to implement sustainable forest management, including through the UN Forest Instrument, and enhance the contribution of forests to the 2030 Agenda.

• 5.1 Number of countries which have integrated forests into their national sustainable development plans and/or poverty reduction strategies is significantly increased.
• 5.2 Forest law enforcement and governance are enhanced, including through significantly strengthening national and subnational forest authorities, and illegal logging and associated trade is significantly reduced worldwide.
• 5.3 National and subnational forest-related policies and programs are coherent, coordinated and complementary across ministries, departments and authorities, consistent with national laws, and engage relevant stakeholders, local communities and indigenous peoples, fully recognizing the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
• 5.4 Forest-related issues and the forest sector are fully integrated into decision-making processes of land use planning and development.

Global Forest Goal 6

Enhance cooperation, coordination, coherence and synergies on forest-related issues at all levels, including within the UN System and across Collaborative Partnership on Forests member organizations, as well as across sectors and relevant stakeholders.

• 6.1 Forest-related programmes within the UN system are coherent and complementary and integrate the Global Forest Goals and targets where appropriate.
• 6.2 Forest-related programmes across Collaborative Partnership on Forests member organizations are coherent and complementary and together encompass the multiple contributions of forests and the forest sector to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• 6.3 Cross-sectoral coordination and cooperation to promote sustainable forest management and halt deforestation and forest degradation is significantly enhanced at all levels.
• 6.4 A greater common understanding of the concept of sustainable forest management is achieved and an associated set of indicators is identified.
• 6.5 The input and involvement of major groups and other relevant stakeholders in the implementation of the UN Strategic Plan for Forests and in the work of the Forum, including intersessional work, is strengthened.