Stronger coordination of forest policies

(k) Identify and implement measures to enhance cooperation and cross sectoral policy and programme coordination among sectors affecting and affected by forest policies and management, with a view to integrating the forest sector into national decision making processes and promoting sustainable forest management, including by addressing the underlying causes of deforestation and forest degradation, and by promoting forest conservation

Major groups note that the work of the Forum has enhanced forest policy development, which has expanded well beyond traditional forestry policy issues, and that new ideas introduced at the Forum can be quickly transmitted to countries.

The Executive Secretary stressed that any policy on sustainable forest management must aim at preserving existing forests and ensure that reforestation and afforestation policies were addressed and promoted.

Coordination of forest policies is needed to ensure some degree of consistency among the different international policies and programmes that directly or indirectly concern forests and the forests products sector.

The global forest crisis continues unabated despite more than 10 years of global forest policy dialogue in the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (from 1995 to 1997), in the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (from 1997 to 2000) and, finally, in the United Nations Forum on Forests (from 2000 onward).

The Mauritius Strategy makes specific reference to the intergovernmental forest policy process, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests Intergovernmental Forum on Forests proposals for action, affirming in a separate paragraph the strong commitment of small island developing States to sustainable forest management and the work of the Forum.

Despite substantial progress in the formulation and implementation of national forest policies, deforestation and forest degradation continue at an alarming rate.

The reform of forestry policy is introducing two important innovations (i) preparation of forest management plans and (ii) adoption of forest certification and labelling systems.

It relates to proposals for action of the IPF IFF calling for

(d) Create a stronger enabling environment for the implementation of forest policies.

They dealt with the need for

(a) Develop, implement, publish and, as necessary, update national forest programmes or other strategies for sustainable forest management which identify actions needed and contain measures, policies or specific goals, taking into account the relevant proposals for action of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests Intergovernmental Forum on Forests and resolutions of the United Nations Forum on Forests

Forest landscape restoration is relevant to a wide range of IPF and IFF proposals for action and the UNF programme of work.

There are a number of existing international arrangements that have succeeded in strengthening long term political commitment to sustainable forest management and led to significant improvements in national forest policies, legislative frameworks and standards in line with the principles of sustainable forest management.

(d) Facilitating cross sectoral coordination nationally and internationally between the forest sector and other sectors in order to reduce negative impacts on forests of decisions made outside the forest sector and to provide broad guidance and assist the development of national policies and legislation.

(r) Strengthen the contribution of science and research in advancing sustainable forest management by incorporating scientific expertise into forest policies and programmes

The policies of the Bretton Woods institutions were closely related to the issue of the financing of development.

09 00 10 00 Field trip reports and discussion (Chair Blaser)

Implementation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests Intergovernmental Forum on Forests proposals for action

Forest ownership in the US is diverse it includes extensive private forests, federally managed forests and public forests managed by state and local governments as well as forests owned by native Indian tribes.12

For example, the FAO Regional Forestry Commissions have helped extend the global forest policy dialogue to the national level, by bringing together heads of the national forestry agencies, in the respective regions, to discuss policy and technical issues of interest.

Effective policies, rule of law and transparency are prerequisites for sustainable forest management.

The coalition also facilitates the informed participation of non governmental organizations and indigenous peoples' organizations in these processes, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests, the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests, the United Nations Forum on Forests, the Convention on Biological Diversity,1 the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change2 and other relevant forest policy processes.

Building on international and regional activities, cooperation has extended to areas such as developing forest policies, plans and programmes building capacity for effective forest management good governance and forest law enforcement use of satellite data and mapping participatory management and intersectoral coordination within Governments.

Nevertheless, in the future the international arrangement on forest could focus in greater detail on how best to realize the potential contribution of forests to poverty eradication and food security, helping to ensure that this is fully reflected in national forest policies as well as wider development policies, such as poverty reduction strategy papers.

Some progress has been made to achieve the integration of the principles of sustainable forest management into country policies and programmes, such as national forest programmes or similar strategies.

The Coalition (formerly known as the NGO Forest Working Group) was established in 1995 to bring the views of non governmental organizations and indigenous peoples' organizations to the various international forest policy forums and negotiations.

Over the past 10 years of the international forest policy dialogue process, the debate on a global forest convention has prevented progress on the issues mentioned above and on others.

Action has been taken to promote stakeholder participation at various levels in policymaking through the preparation of codes of practice through local consultation on forest management decisions in respect of publicly owned forests and through mechanisms, such as certification, that have increased consultations on the management of privately owned forests.

Of particular value is the broadening of the range of stakeholders with an interest in forests and the development of innovative mechanisms for equitable involvement of these stakeholders in the formulation of forest policy and programmes and in forest planning and management.

The development of a financial mechanism to assess the value of forest services and benefits and to attract greater interest on forests by decision makers in charge of finance was also underlined as a factor that could stimulate Governments to play a supportive role in forest restoration.

Another important factor is changing forest ownership and management and what this means for decision making on forests.

Forest applications include forest area estimation and mapping, forest monitoring, forest fire assessment and forest management.

Facilitate and promote the implementation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests Intergovernmental Forum on Forests proposals for action

serve as a forum to exchange information and experiences, foster partnerships and monitor progress mobilize financial and technical support towards the development and implementation of national forest policy and programs, including cross sectoral initiatives.

Among contributing factors identified by Governments during the discussion to help diminish adverse effect on forests by decisions taken outside the forest sector was the need for closer collaboration with other ministries, including ministries of agriculture and environment, in order to advance sustainable forest management and forest restoration.

Policies and measures shall include the enhancement of sinks through reforestation, combatting desertification and establishing regulations for sustainable forest use.

Increase understanding of good practices and opportunities to optimize delivery of the benefits from forest landscape restoration activities Stimulate the political support, policy and partnership arrangement and investment needed to implement effective forest landscape activities Catalyze and demonstrate implementation of forest landscape restoration globally.

The forest ecosystem and forest resources

The Ad Hoc Expert Group on Finance and Transfer of Environmentally Sound Technologies also noted that the achievement of sustainable forest management can be greatly hindered by policies established outside the forest sector.

(d) Create a stronger enabling environment for the implementation of forest policies by establishing new financial mechanisms for financing sustainable forest management activities and projects

The Forum secretariat participated in both workshops, providing relevant information on economic aspects of forests and research needs for forest policy development at the global level.

(f) Promote complementarity among national forest programmes and action plans under the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development related Conventions to further mainstream sustainable forest management in cross sectoral policies

(a) Develop forest management practices that expand carbon storage, including afforestation and re afforestation policies, in the forest ecosystem, including soils, without negatively affecting long term productivity or biodiversity