As countries continue to battle the far-reaching impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations today called for the inclusion of sustainable forest-based actions in COVID-19 recovery programmes and policies.
“Historically, forests have served as a safety net in times of crisis,” says Alexander Trepelkov, Officer-in-Charge of the United Nations Forum on Forests Secretariat. “This has been particularly true for rural populations, indigenous peoples and other forest-dependent communities,” he added.
A large proportion of the rural poor, some 40 per cent, live in forest a
We all rely on forests. They generate the oxygen we breathe, provide water to quench our thirst and livelihoods to some 1.6 billion people worldwide. They play a critical role for a healthy climate, and ultimately, for our survival. Yet, they continue to be under threat.
Forests are vitally important for sustaining life on Earth, and play a major role in the fight against climate change. With the 2019 session of the United Nations Forum on Forests wrapping up on Friday in New York, we delve deeper into the subject, and find out what the UN is doing to safeguard and protect them.
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It is estimated that 1.6 billion people, or 25 per cent of the human population, depend on forests for subsistence, livelihood, employment and income generation. Forests provide ecosystem services, such as timber, food, fuel, fodder, non-wood products and shelter – which are essential for human well-being. At the same time, they contribute to soil and water conservation, carbon storage and clean air.
Throughout human history, forests and trees have been connected to learning, wisdom and enlightenment. Forests and trees have served as outdoor classrooms, providing healthy learning-locations for outdoor-education and fostering environmental stewardship in children from an early age.
Forests are among the world’s most productive renewable natural resources, providing sustainable paths to development as a key driver of economic growth while providing livelihoods for hundreds of millions of people, particularly in rural areas.