UN Commission on Sustainable Development – Intergovernmental Forum on Forests – IFF

The Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF) conducted an intergovernmental policy dialogue on forests and worked toward agreement on international arrangements and mechanisms on forests, including a legally-binding treaty.

Established by the UN General Assembly in 1997 and operating under the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), the IFF replaced the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF), which was established in 1995 to pursue proposals for action to support the management, conservation, and sustainable development of all types of forests.

The IFF met four times between October 1997 and February 2000, resulting in approximately 120 proposals for action. At its fourth and final session in February 2000, the IFF issued its final report, which included a recommendation for the establishment of the United Nations Forum on Forests and invite the relevant international organizations, institutions, and instruments and UN organizations to participate in a Collaborative Partnership on Forests.