See more coverage of this event on the main IISD ENB website

We have launched a new website to better share our reports of global environmental negotiations.

As well as current coverage of new negotiations, you can find our original reports from this event by clicking here.

Linkages




   

   
Curtain Raiser Tuesday 7 September Wednesday 8 September Thursday 9 September Friday 10 September & Summary  



 

Highlights for Wednesday, 8 September 2004

The Ad Hoc Expert Group on Consideration with a View to Recommending the Parameters of a Mandate for Developing a Legal Framework on All Types of Forests (AHEG-PARAM) met for its second day on Wednesday at UN headquarters in New York. In the morning, participants continued their exchange of views on other outcomes of the international arrangement on forests (IAF), including efforts of countries to implement the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF)/ Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF) Proposals for Action, and engaged in a stakeholder panel discussion on raising the profile of forests and forestry. In the afternoon, experts discussed options for a new IAF. 

In the morning during the discussions on outcomes of the existing IAF, experts noted the need for, inter alia, improving access to financial resources, building capacity, and strengthening international cooperation.

In the afternoon, regarding options for a new IAF, many experts expressed the need to strengthen the current IAF and develop a clear focus and objectives. But views regarding whether or not there is a need for a legally binding instrument remained divided.

 

Stakeholder panel (from left to right) Miguel Lovera (Global Forest Coalition); Peter Wood (International Forestry Students Association); Bernard de Galembert (Forest Director of the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CPI)); Peter Mayer (moderator); Atse Yapi (IUFRO-Special Programme for Developing Countries, Regional Coordinator for Africa and Secretary of FORNESSA); William Street (Global Wood and Forestry Programme of the International Union of Forest and Building Wood Workers); and Jebra Ram Muchahary (International Alliance of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples of the Tropical Forests)


 

Vincent Kasulu Seya Makonga, Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation, Water and Forests of The Democratic Republic of Congo

 

Mauricio Limón Aguirre, Chief of Legal Division, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of Mexico

 

 

Gregoire Nkeoua (The Republic of Congo) highlighted the need to involve local communities in Sustainable Forest Management programmes
 


 

Claudio Gutiérrez (Argentina) proposed to add to UNFF a parallel financing mechanism for forest projects

 

Richard Ballhorn (Canada) highlighted the positive results of the Montreal Process on criteria and indicators

 
André-Jules Madingou, Ministry of Forestry, Waters, Fisheries, Environment and Nature Conservation of Gabon


 

Tiina Vahanen, FAO, explained that the  CPF Sourcebook on Funding for SFM is increasingly being used and will be subject to review in 2005

 

Aysar A. Tayeb, Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources of Saudi Arabia


 

 

Co-Chair Tim Rollinson making closing remarks at the end of the session


 


 

Stakeholder panel discussion:

During the stakeholder panel discussion, Major Groups representatives noted the danger of marginalizing Major Groups, and urged the AHEG-PARAM to identify more effective means of Major Group participation. They also emphasized, among other things, that the IAF should recognize human rights, support customary rights of local and indigenous communities, and promote empowering community-based forest management.

 

Jeanette Gurung (Women Organizing for Change in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management), Ruth Mobieru (Executive Director, Uganda Tree Planting Movement), and Peter Mayer (International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO)) discuss ways to raise the profile of forests on the international political agenda.


 


 

Peter Mayer, Moderator of the Stakeholder Panel Discussion




 

 

Peter Wood listens to a question on the role of certification in a future international arrangement on forests

 

 
Jebra Ram Muchahary called for the implementation of commitments agreed by the international community on indigenous people

 

William Street emphasized the need to address the root causes of forest degradation

 


 

 

Tasso Rezende de Azevedo, (Brazil) said Brazil is currently holding consultations to determine its position on the new IAF


 


 

Erik Bjornebye (Norway), stressed that establishing the Global Environment Facility as the financial mechanism for forest-related work would require an LBI and would limit funding to certain types of projects.

Anders Portin (Finland), highlighted support for a stronger IAF and, noting limitations with regional instruments


 

Modesto Fernández, (Cuba) said the priority for developing countries is to strengthen the means for implementation through capacity building, stable financing and technology transfer.



Miscellaneous Photos:
 

Co-Chair Andrea Alban Durán (Colombia)

Andrew Baldwin

Tony Bartlett, Australia and Co-Chair Tim Rollinson (United Kingdom)

 

Delegates during the middle of the meeting

 

Kunbao Xia (ENB Writer)

Participants of the AHEG-PARAM at the morning session.

 

Claudio Forner, UNFCCC Secretariat

Laura Ivers, World Bank
 


 

 
Links to further information

United Nations Forum on Forests (includes UNFF4 documents and information on previous Sessions)
Documents and Reference Materials
ENB summary from UNFF-4: English (HTML, PDF, TEXT) French (HTML, PDF, TEXT)
ENB summary from UNFF-3: English (HTML, PDF, TEXT) French (HTML, PDF, TEXT)
ENB summary from the United Nations Conference for the Negotiation of a Successor Agreement to the ITTA, 1994: (HTML, PDF, TEXT)
ENB summary from ITTC-36: (HTML, PDF, TEXT)
ENB summary from Forests and Forest Ecosystems: Promoting Synergy in the Implementation of the Three Rio Conventions: English (HTML, PDF, TEXT) French (HTML, PDF, TEXT)
Linkages forests, desertification and land issues page, including a brief introduction to global forest policy


 


 

Any questions, comments or suggestions - please mail the Digital editor

| Back to Linkages home | Visit IISDnet | Send e-mail to ENB |
© 2004,  IISD. All  rights reserved.