Highlights and images for 24 July 2024

Plenary got off to a good start on Wednesday morning with the announcement of an agreement on a particularly thorny paragraph related to scaling up actions on agriculture and forestry linkages.  In the compromise delegates had to strike a delicate balance between emphasis on major drivers of deforestation and forest degradation, promoting sustainable patterns of consumption and production, and global commitments to halt and reverse deforestation and forest degradation.

The Committee then discussed the strategic vision for the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) work on forestry through 2031 as embodied by the FAO Forestry Roadmap. Zhimin Wu, Director of the FAO Forestry Division, introduced the Roadmap, highlighting the priority actions under the three forestry objectives: conserve and restore forest ecosystems; enhance sustainable production; and scale up science-based innovation.

Forestry Division Deputy Director Ewald Rametsteiner reported on FAO’s achievements in forestry during the 2022-2023 biennium. In terms of global trends, he noted that although the rate of deforestation is decreasing, we are still losing forests at an alarming speed. He called for scaling up innovation and highlighted cross-sectoral collaborations that have a real impact on the local level while also being important for national and global policy.

In ensuing discussions, many delegates expressed appreciation for FAO’s work in elaborating the Roadmap. Several suggested endorsing it while some preferred “welcoming.” One member asked for better reporting and information dissemination so that learning could be used to scale up actions in the forestry sector. A number of delegates emphasized that there is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Lengthy discussions followed a proposed footnote by the EU noting its reservation on Roadmap wording regarding trade restrictions and distortions. By the end of the day, agreement had still not been reached on how to record some Member’s concerns about the Roadmap.

During member interventions on urban forests and its contribution to urban agrifood systems transformation, participants heard firsthand successful examples of countries supporting the establishment of urban social forests, urban agrofood projects, and green infrastructure. Some expressed alarm at the continued burgeoning growth of cities, calling for urgent greening in order to address increasing environmental challenges.

The Committee discussed the integration of sustainably managed urban and peri-urban forests and trees into urban planning, and whether to recommend that FAO explore new cooperation with other regional and international initiatives on this subject.

On forestry’s contribution to FAO’s work on climate change and integrated water management, delegates generally agreed that this link is inextricable, with some citing their own experiences with climate change impacts and drought and the costs incurred. They then agreed on text for the Chair’s summary with minor changes.

On the Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 and mainstreaming biodiversity in forestry, delegates discussed where to reference the Global Biodiversity Framework, whether to include a proposal to have FAO assist countries in assessing human-wildlife impacts on food security, and whether to endorse an African proposal for the next UN General Assembly to establish a Decade of Afforestation and Reforestation.

At lunchtime, a World Forestry Week high-level side event was held with the FAO statutory bodies in forestry, chaired by Director Wu and Ana Gabriela Saavedra, Chair of the Latin American and the Caribbean Forestry Commision. During the session participants heard from each of the statutory bodies about their achievements and their recommendations stemming from the results of their work.