Mr. Peter Besseau, Chair of UNFF12,H.E. Ambassador Peter Thomson, President of the General Assembly,H.E. Ambassador Marie Chatardova, Vice-President of the ECOSOC,Distinguished Delegates,Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is my distinct pleasure to address the twelfth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests.
Forests are key to addressing many of the global challenges that countries are facing now and are vital for our well-being.
Forests have a significant role in reducing the risk of natural disasters, including floods, droughts and other extreme events. Three fourths of freshwater also comes from forested catchment areas.
Forests are also central to mitigation of and adaptation to climate change.
Investing in forests represents an investment in people and their livelihoods, especially the rural poor, youth and women. Around 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihood, providing them with shelter, jobs and security.
Fortunately, the importance of the world’s forests has not been neglected in major global conferences and meetings since 2015. Significant agreements have been made under the 2030 Agenda, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Agreement related to forests, in particular, in regard to strengthened political commitment, smart policies, effective governance system, and mobilizing innovative partnerships and funding for forests. A number of SDGs and targets are specifically referring to forests, namely; target 6.6 under SDG6, and SDG 15 and its targets 15.1, 15.2 and 15.b.
Distinguished Delegates,During the last two years, the United Nations Forum on Forests demonstrated its leadership role in elevating the significance of forests and sustainable management of all types of forests to the highest level.
The first decisive step was taken by Members of the Forum in May 2015, when the Forum agreed on the resolution on the International Arrangement on Forests (IAF) beyond 2015.
This resolution defined the objectives of the IAF and identified its component, agreed on the functions for the Forum, established the Global Forest Financing Facilitation (GFFFN) as a means to enhance access of countries to resources for forests, and more importantly agreed to develop a strategic plan to guide the work of the IAF and its component until 2030 in alignment with the 2030 Agenda timeline. It also called for substantive contributions by the UNFF to the HLPF in its review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
After two years of extensive and productive consultation, in a remarkable development, the Forum adopted the first ever United Nations Strategic Plan on Forests (UNSPF) for the period 2017-2030.
The UNSPF was subsequently adopted by the ECOSOC and the GA to show the highest political support and recognition of importance of this Plan. Through its six Global Forest Goals and 26 targets, as well as voluntary national contributions to their attainment, this Plan constitutes an effective global framework for action to sustainably manage all types of forests and trees outside forests, halt and reverse deforestation and forest degradation, as well as increase the forest area.
The UNSPF also provides a roadmap to guide forest-related contributions to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement, and other internationally agreed forest-related commitments and goals.
The UNSPF serves as a reference for the forest-related work of the UN system to achieve its Global Forest Goals and targets. In this regard, collaboration with all partners within and outside UN system is key for successful implementation of the UNSPF.
As the responsible intergovernmental body for the follow-up and review of implementation of the UNSPF and the achievement of its Global Forest Goals and targets, I congratulate the Forum for all these remarkable achievements, and also for providing a true global and participatory platform for promoting sustainable management of all types of forests.
The Forum, as a unique universal intergovernmental body on forests, has an important role to play in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The issues the Forum is addressing are vital to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The new method of work of the Forum, provides an excellent opportunity for the Forum to address the interlinkages of forests and the SDGs, as well as capacity building, financing, technology development and transfer, governance, and science-policy interface, in a holistic and coherent manner. I also welcome that the Forum is taking a proactive role in contributing to the work of the HLPF.
Dear Colleagues,
You now have all the necessary ingredients to advance the objectives of the IAF. The agreement on the UNSPF is a historic, fundamental and required step. However, the key element that ensures our success is implementation of this Plan. To this end, let us work together to make history and achieve the agreed goals and targets of the Strategic Plan, through a true and sustained commitment to implementation of our agreement. As DESA, we spare no effort to assist you in this task.
Thank you.
It is my distinct pleasure to address the twelfth session of the United Nations Forum on Forests.
Forests are key to addressing many of the global challenges that countries are facing now and are vital for our well-being.
Forests have a significant role in reducing the risk of natural disasters, including floods, droughts and other extreme events. Three fourths of freshwater also comes from forested catchment areas.
Forests are also central to mitigation of and adaptation to climate change.
Investing in forests represents an investment in people and their livelihoods, especially the rural poor, youth and women. Around 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihood, providing them with shelter, jobs and security.
Fortunately, the importance of the world’s forests has not been neglected in major global conferences and meetings since 2015. Significant agreements have been made under the 2030 Agenda, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Agreement related to forests, in particular, in regard to strengthened political commitment, smart policies, effective governance system, and mobilizing innovative partnerships and funding for forests. A number of SDGs and targets are specifically referring to forests, namely; target 6.6 under SDG6, and SDG 15 and its targets 15.1, 15.2 and 15.b.
Distinguished Delegates,During the last two years, the United Nations Forum on Forests demonstrated its leadership role in elevating the significance of forests and sustainable management of all types of forests to the highest level.
The first decisive step was taken by Members of the Forum in May 2015, when the Forum agreed on the resolution on the International Arrangement on Forests (IAF) beyond 2015.
This resolution defined the objectives of the IAF and identified its component, agreed on the functions for the Forum, established the Global Forest Financing Facilitation (GFFFN) as a means to enhance access of countries to resources for forests, and more importantly agreed to develop a strategic plan to guide the work of the IAF and its component until 2030 in alignment with the 2030 Agenda timeline. It also called for substantive contributions by the UNFF to the HLPF in its review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
After two years of extensive and productive consultation, in a remarkable development, the Forum adopted the first ever United Nations Strategic Plan on Forests (UNSPF) for the period 2017-2030.
The UNSPF was subsequently adopted by the ECOSOC and the GA to show the highest political support and recognition of importance of this Plan. Through its six Global Forest Goals and 26 targets, as well as voluntary national contributions to their attainment, this Plan constitutes an effective global framework for action to sustainably manage all types of forests and trees outside forests, halt and reverse deforestation and forest degradation, as well as increase the forest area.
The UNSPF also provides a roadmap to guide forest-related contributions to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement, and other internationally agreed forest-related commitments and goals.
The UNSPF serves as a reference for the forest-related work of the UN system to achieve its Global Forest Goals and targets. In this regard, collaboration with all partners within and outside UN system is key for successful implementation of the UNSPF.
As the responsible intergovernmental body for the follow-up and review of implementation of the UNSPF and the achievement of its Global Forest Goals and targets, I congratulate the Forum for all these remarkable achievements, and also for providing a true global and participatory platform for promoting sustainable management of all types of forests.
The Forum, as a unique universal intergovernmental body on forests, has an important role to play in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The issues the Forum is addressing are vital to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The new method of work of the Forum, provides an excellent opportunity for the Forum to address the interlinkages of forests and the SDGs, as well as capacity building, financing, technology development and transfer, governance, and science-policy interface, in a holistic and coherent manner. I also welcome that the Forum is taking a proactive role in contributing to the work of the HLPF.
Dear Colleagues,
You now have all the necessary ingredients to advance the objectives of the IAF. The agreement on the UNSPF is a historic, fundamental and required step. However, the key element that ensures our success is implementation of this Plan. To this end, let us work together to make history and achieve the agreed goals and targets of the Strategic Plan, through a true and sustained commitment to implementation of our agreement. As DESA, we spare no effort to assist you in this task.
Thank you.
File date:
Monday, May 1, 2017