United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)

Opening plenary session of UNFF11 (Photo source: IISD)

The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) was established by Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Resolution 2000/35 as part of a new international arrangement on forests, to carry on the work built on the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF) and International Forum on Forests (IFF) processes. The Forum is composed of all Member States of the United Nations and specialized agencies.

The main objective of UNFF is to promote the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests and strengthen long-term political commitment. To this end UNFF1 outlined the UNFF Plan of Action and the first Multi-Year Programme of Work (MYPOW) from 2001-2005. The Forum feeds into broader global environment and development processes with inputs such as the UNFF2 Ministerial Declaration to the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

At the UNFF6, the Forum agreed on Four (4) Shared Global Objectives on Forests (GOFs), which provide clear guidance on the future work of the Forum. The GOFs was adopted through ECOSOC Resolution 2006/49. The four (4) GOFs are the following:

1)      Reverse the loss of forest cover worldwide through sustainable forest management (SFM), including protection, restoration, afforestation and reforestation, and increase efforts to prevent forest degradation;
2) Enhance forest-based economic, social and environmental benefits, including by improving the livelihoods of forest-dependent people;
3)   Increase significantly the area of sustainably managed forests, including protected forests, and increase the proportion of forest products derived from sustainably managed forests; and
4)   Reverse the decline in official development assistance for sustainable forest management and mobilize significantly-increased new and additional financial resources from all sources for the implementation of SFM.

Focal Office:: Forest Management Bureau (FMB)
Date Ratified:
Focal Persons:: High Level Representative
HON. RAMON J.P. PAJE
Secretary
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Tel. Nos. - (632) 920 4352 / 926 2688 / 926 2535 / 925 8275

Technical Representative
FOR. RICARDO L. CALDERON
Director
DENR - Forest Management Bureau
Tel. Nos. - (632) 928 9313 / 927 4788
Commitments:: Starting from UNFF5 and culminating at UNFF7, the Non-Legally Binding Instrument (NLBI) on All Types of Forests was adopted on 28 April 2007. The Instrument was adopted by the UN General Assembly (Resolution 62/98) on 17 December 2007. The Instrument is voluntary and non-legally binding and each State is responsible for the sustainable management of its forests and for the enforcement of its forest related laws.

The purposes of the instrument are the following:
1. To strengthen political commitment and action at all levels to implement effectively sustainable management of all types of forests and to achieve the shared global objectives on forests;
2. To enhance the contribution of forests to the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals, in particular with respect to poverty eradication and environmental sustainability; and
To provide framework for national action and international cooperation.
Status / Updates:: 1. UNFF11 adopted a historic Resolution on the International Arrangement on Forests (IAF) beyond 2015 and a Ministerial Declaration. The Declaration highlights how SFM is vital to transformative change and to addressing development challenges – from poverty eradication and economic growth to food security and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
2. Member States extended the timeline of the IAF to 2030, defined IAF objectives and components, and outlined the Strategic direction for the Arrangement. Implementation of the UN Forest Instrument is the key task for the IAF beyond 2015. Countries also strengthened the Forum and its Secretariat, and agreed to develop a strategic plan for the IAF (2017-2030) with quadrennial programmes of work.
3. Countries reiterated the validity and value of the UN Forest Instrument and agreed to extend its Global Objectives on Forests (GOFs) until 2030.
4. On financing, UNFF Facilitative Process upgraded to UNFF Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network (GFFFN) to mobilize and enhance access of countries to financial resources for forests.
5. UNFF11 highlights forest related Sustainable Goals and Targets and integrate this into UN Forest Instrument.
Latest Activities:: 11th Session of UN Forum on Forest [May 4-15, New York City, USA] - Attended by Director Calderon, For. Panganiban, For. Oliveros and For. Quiloy (FMB)
: 14th World Forestry Congress [September 7-11, 2015; Durban, South Africa] - Attended by Director Calderon and Assistant Director Natividad (FMB)
Sources / Relevant Links:: http://www.un.org/esa/forests/

This Page was updated on Sunday, 10 January 2016 21:59