Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
at the opening of the high-level segment of the 19th session of UN Forum on Forests
[as delivered]
Your Excellency Mr. Vice President, Ivan Šimonović, Vice President of ECOSOC,
Your Excellency, Zéphyrin Maniratanga, Permanent Representative of Burundi, and Chair of the Bureau,
Ms. Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo, Director of the UN Forum on Forests Secretariat,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I very much appreciate the invitation to address this 19th session of the UN Forum on Forests.
The ambitious vision for global forests – set out in the Strategic Plan for Forests and the six Global Forest Goals – is central to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Indeed, forests sustain our lives.
They produce and recycle the air we breathe, the water we drink and provide 1.6 billion people – or 25 percent of the global population – with the livelihoods, employment, and income they need to survive.
As some of the most biodiverse habitats on Earth, they play a crucial role in climate regulation –the absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
By halting deforestation and sustainably managing forests, we could reduce carbon dioxide equivalent by 3.6 gigatonnes per year – this is essential if we are to keep planetary warming below the 1.5-degree threshold.
And if I may take pause at this juncture to draw your attention to the fact that I am wearing a pin advocating the 1.5-degree threshold.
And I’ve worn this pin for the last year and a half – because it is that crucial for the continued existence, with some degree of stability, of a large group of States, referred to as States countries in special situations: the LDCs, the LLDCs, small island developing States and States with low-lying coastal areas.
We have made some commendable advances in the right direction.
Asia, Europe and Oceania all registered net gains in forest area between 2010 to 2020.
And most world regions are on track to significantly increase protected forest area – and to enact both policies and legal frameworks for sustainable forest management.
We must maintain that momentum.
Forest area is declining in Africa and South America – albeit at slower rates than in previous years.
With progress lagging across the 2030 Agenda – and 2030 recorded as the hottest year on record, sorry, 2023 recorded as the hottest year on record – we must act urgently.
We can do much more to create outcomes that are socially just, ecologically sound, and economically viable for our planet and people – especially those who are highly dependent on forests.
We must start by strengthening international cooperation and means of implementation – including financial support particularly for developing countries.
We must make greater use of science for evidence-based decisions on sustainably managing and conserving forests.
And we must forge strong, diverse partnerships – in research and development, data and information sharing and technology transfer – working efficiently to build capacity, from practical ground skills to remote and satellite imaging.
All of these efforts are vital for ensuring sustainability – one of the four watchwords of my Presidency, which culminated in the first-ever General Assembly Sustainability Week to encourage sustainable practices, including in the management of forests worldwide.
Dear friends,
Realizing the Global Forest Goals is a mission for us all – from local communities and Governments to the private sector, civil society, and academia.
Engagement of vulnerable groups – including women, youth and indigenous peoples who safeguard 80 percent of the world’s biodiversity – is essential to our success.
I commend countries that have announced voluntary national contributions and joint initiatives to achieve the Forest Goals.
These valuable efforts – and those of this Forum – will help inform strong outcomes from the Summit of the Future in September and COP29 later this year.
I wish you a productive session and eagerly await outcomes of your deliberations.
I thank you.
