27 April 2016: The UN Forum on Forests (UNFF) has held the first meeting of the Open-ended Intergovernmental Ad Hoc Expert Group (AHEG1). The Expert Group, created during UNFF11, is tasked with developing: proposals on a replacement for the reference to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the UN Forest Instrument with an appropriate reference to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); the Strategic Plan for the period 2017-2030; and the quadrennial programme of work (4POW) for the period 2017-2020.

Over 130 participants attended the AHEG1 meeting, including representatives from 56 Member States, eight members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, one regional organization, and four representatives of Major Groups. The meeting took place from 25-27 April 2016 at UN Headquarters in New York, US.

On Monday morning, 25 April, just prior to the AHEG1 meeting, the first meeting of the twelfth session of the Forum (UNFF12) met briefly to elect its Bureau. Srećko Juričić (Croatia), UNFF Bureau Vice-Chair, announced that: the Asia-Pacific Group had nominated Wu Zhimin (China); the Eastern European Group had nominated Tomas Krejzak (Czech Republic); the Latin American and Caribbean Group had nominated Clarissa Souza Della Nina (Brazil); the Western European and Others Group nominated Peter Besseau (Canada); and the African Group had not yet submitted a nomination. The meeting elected the nominees by acclamation, with Besseau as Chair and the others as Vice-Chairs. It was agreed that once the African Group submitted a nominee, that person could serve on the Bureau on a provisional basis until he/she is formally elected at the start of UNFF12 in May 2017.

AHEG1 explored the required strategic approaches and actions to achieve the International Arrangement on Forests (IAF) objectives, including the mission, vision, communication strategy, possible goals, targets and priority actions, the roles of IAF components and the organizational structure of the Strategic Plan. It also discussed suggestions for the 4POW for 2017-2020; possible elements for the “framework for reviewing implementation” of the Strategic Plan; and planned follow-up activities leading to AHEG2.

The Co-Chairs’ summary of the meeting notes that, inter alia, the Strategic Plan should follow the six-goal approach set out in the “illustrative matrix” from the summary of the discussions of the expert panel on the IAF Strategic Plan, held in Tokyo, Japan – which is based on the four Global Objectives on Forests (GOFs) plus two cross-cutting goals aligned with the IAF objectives. It also notes that the Strategic Plan should not develop new targets and should focus on the GOFs, now extended to 2030, and should not replicate, adapt or disaggregate relevant targets from other fora; and that new targets would be needed for the new cross-cutting goals, regarding for example, strengthening the Collaborative Partnership on Forest (CPF), the Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network (G3FN), and the involvement of partners in the IAF.

The summary also suggests the 4PoW contain actions to: strengthen work with partners; operationalize the G3FN; clarify the Forum’s input to the SDG process and build coherence and links with the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement; improve the transparency of the Secretariat’s operations; and address the science-policy interface, including science-policy dialogue. The EU requested adding actions on strengthening the role of Major Groups.

Closing the AHEG1 meeting, Co-Chair Hans Hoogeveen briefed AHEG members on the next steps in the process. The Co-Chairs will involve all countries and stakeholders in developing a proposal for the Strategic Plan based on the AHEG1 inputs, the summary of the discussions of the expert panel on the IAF Strategic Plan, held in Tokyo, Japan, and the background paper on ‘Elements for the Strategic Plan 2017-2030′ prepared by independent consultants. The Co-Chairs will also provide AHEG members with “zero drafts” of the Strategic Plan and 4POW in June 2016, after which AHEG members will be given one and a half or two months to submit their written comments. Based on those comments, the Co-Chairs will provide a revised “zero draft” at the end of August or early September, which will then constitute the basis for AHEG2 discussions.

Regarding AHEG2, Hoogeveen said it should be held the first or second week of October 2016, and be dedicated to elaborations and reflections of the Co-Chairs’ proposal. The venue is still to be decided. China, Finland and the Netherlands announced that they will contribute financially to supporting the participation of countries and stakeholders in AHEG2, with China specifying that it will increase its contribution by US$100,000.

UNFF Director Sobral Filho announced that the back-to-back UNFF Working Group and Special Session, which must debate and endorse AHEG proposals before passing them on to UNFF12, is scheduled to take place from 16-20 January 2017 at UN Headquarters. [IISD RS Coverage of AHEG1]