IISD Reporting Services at UNFF-3, 26 May - June 6 2003, Geneva, Switzerland

Earth Negotiations Bulletin:
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SUMMARY

United Nations Forum on Forests, Third Session
26 May - 6 June 2003 Geneva, Switzerland

Daily Web Coverage	\|Curtain\|	\|Mon 26\|	\|Tue 27\|	\|Wed 28\|	\|Thu 29\|	\|Fri 30\|
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French	\|Rideau\|	\|Lun 26\|	\|Mar 27\|	\|Mer 28\|	\|Jeu 29\|	\|Ven 30\|
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Highlights for

Thursday, 5 June 2003

On Thursday morning, delegates negotiated resolutions on economic aspects of forests (EAF), voluntary reporting format (RF), and maintaining forest cover to meet present and future needs (MFC). In the afternoon, discussion continued on revised resolutions on forest health and productivity (FHP), and a Contact Group met briefly to approve the resolution on enhanced cooperation and policy and programme coordination. In the evening, delegates approved resolutions on the Trust Fund, Strengthening the Secretariat, and RF. Discussions on EAF, MFC, and FHP proceeded into the late evening. ENB coverage of these discussions terminated at 11:00 pm. Above photo: Delegates from G77/CHINA consulting with Chair Hossein Moeini Meybodi (Iran).

WORKING GROUP I:

ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF FORESTS (EAF):

Gustavo Eduardo Ainchil (Argentina) chaired the working group that considered the revised draft EAF resolution. Chair Hossein Moeini Meybodi addressed delegates and called for the finalization of all draft resolutions by the end of Thursday. Left photo: Kari Kangas (UNFF), Gustavo Eduardo Ainchil (Argentina) and UNFF-3 Chair Hossein Moeini Meybodi

Mexico stressed that voluntary certification and standardization of certification schemes should not pose obstacles to international trade.

Canada proposed text stating that no particular certification scheme should be favored or endorsed.

On governance and law enforcement, the G-77/CHINA called for "voluntary" new partnerships. Above photo: Delegates from G77/CHINA during the morning session of EAF.

FOREST HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY (FHP):

Conceição Ferreira (Portugal) (far right) chaired the working group discussion on a draft resolution on forest health and productivity (FHP).

After some debate, delegates agreed to encourage countries to develop forest fire management strategies.

On integrated approaches to FHP, the EU (left) suggested, and delegates agreed, to add a reference to SFM, without specifying the nature of forest-related strategies and action plans.

On data and information on forest health, the US (left) and NEW ZEALAND supported, and the G-77/CHINA opposed, reference to C&I.

CONTACT GROUP ON ENHANCED COOPERATION:

The G-77/CHINA suggested compromise text welcoming the request of the CBD to work collaboratively on issues of common interest and in this regard request the UNFF Secretariat to reflect on the UNFF experiences at the relevant meetings of the CBD. Left photo L-R: G77/CHINA delegates, Vijay Shakur Singh (India), Mitzi Gurgel Valente da Costa (Brazil), I. Gede Ngurah Swadjaya (Indonesia)

Chair Meybodi (far right) announced the successful completion of the negotiations on the issue of enhanced cooperation and policy and programme coordination.

WORKING GROUP II:

REPORTING FORMAT (RF)

Peter Csóka (Hungary) chaired a working group discussing revised draft resolutions on reporting format and maintaining forest cover to meet present and future needs.

NEW ZEALAND, supported by AUSTRALIA and the EU, proposed a request to the Secretariat to consult relevant CPF members when developing a reporting format. Left photo: Don Wijewardana (New Zealand) (far left) and a delegate from Australia.

The EU and the US, opposed by NEW ZEALAND and the G-77/CHINA, suggested including text urging the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) to continue its work.

The US proposed, and the G-77/CHINA opposed, text inviting countries to consider the relevance of C&I to the UNFF reporting process.

MAINTAINING FOREST COVER (MFC)

On deforestation and forest degradation, delegates agreed to the G-77/CHINA proposal, which stressed the need to address underlying causes in the preamble.

INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS: TRUST FUND

Delegates discussed a draft resolution on the UNFF Trust Fund, disagreeing on whether support to participants from developing countries "shall" or "may" be provided from the Trust Fund for travel and daily subsistence allowance from funds designated by the donor for that purpose. Delegates discussed, and could not agree on, whether this support should also apply to participants from countries with economies in transition.

STRENGTHENING THE SECRETARIAT

Delegates discussed a draft resolution on strengthening the Secretariat. Regarding an operational paragraph urging provision of resources to the Secretariat, the EU stressed that the resources should come from the Trust Fund and not from the regular budget. He proposed, and delegates accepted, text on "voluntary extra-budgetary contributions to the Trust Fund." The G-77/CHINA proposed, and participants accepted, adding a preambular reference to the Secretariat's task to consider the outcomes of the parameters ad hoc expert group meeting. Delegates agreed to the final resolution on strengthening the secretariat.

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