21 May 2017: The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) and the Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition hosted an online consultation as part of ongoing efforts to develop a Global Core Set (GSC) of forestry-related indicators. The indicators are meant to help monitor the achievement of forest-related global goals and targets, including in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN Forest Instrument and the UN Strategic Plan for Forests, as well as other agreements and platforms.

The online consultation took place from 2-21 May 2017. The GSC are intended to, inter alia, simplify and harmonize concepts and terminology, on a voluntary basis, while respecting the needs of all potential users. They also aim to enhance coordination among the various forest-related indicators and processes, and reduce the high reporting burden for the entities involved.

Specific objectives of the GSC include measuring progress towards: sustainable forest management (including SDG target 15.2.1 on sustainable forest management); implementing the UN Forest Instrument and the UN Strategic Plan for Forests, notably the Global Objectives on Forests, and their associated targets; and SDG targets other than 15.2.1, as well as internationally agreed goals on forests in other instruments, notably through meeting the forest-related reporting needs of the Rio conventions.

The results of the on-line consultation will be analyzed at an Expert Consultation to be held in June 2017, prior to the finalization of the indicators.

The CPF is an informal, voluntary arrangement among 14 international organizations and secretariats with substantial programmes on forests. The partnership promotes the sustainable management of all types of forests, including by strengthening long-term political commitment. [FAO Press Release on the Online GSC Consultation] [Proposed Global Core Set of forest-related indicators]