UN Commission on Sustainable Development – Intergovernmental Panel on Forests – IPF

The Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF) was established in 1995 to pursue consensus and coordinated proposals for action to support the management, conservation, and sustainable development of all types of forests. The IPF focused on implementation of United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) forest-related decisions, including research, assessment and development of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management.

Operating under the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), the IPF also addressed finance and technology transfer; trade and environment; and international organizations and a possible treaty. Its objective was to submit final conclusions and policy recommendations to the CSD in April 1997. The Panel met four times from 1995-1997 and adopted a final report at its fourth session in February 1997, which it submitted to the CSD. The report contains approximately 140 proposals for action under its 12 programme elements, including a call for continued intergovernmental forest policy dialogue. 

The Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF) replaced the IPF. In February 2000, the IFF recommended establishing the United Nations Forum on Forests.