8 May 2018
UNFF13 to Provide Input to HLPF 2018
Photo by Luis Del Río Camacho
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The thirteenth session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF13) is convening from 7-11 May 2018, with focus on policy dialogue, development and decision-making.

UNFF13 is expected to promote implementation the UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030 (UNSPF) and provide input to the 2018 meeting of the HLPF.

Its agenda includes discussions on the contributions of forests in accelerating achievement of the SDGs and in supporting a global transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies.

7 May 2018: The thirteenth session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF13) is convening from 7-11 May 2018, with a focus on policy dialogue, development and decision-making. During this meeting, which is the first UNFF policy session since the 2017 adoption of the UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030 (UNSPF) by the UN General Assembly, UNFF13 will promote implementation of the UNSPF and provide input to the July 2018 meeting of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).

UNFF13 is convening at UN Headquarters in New York, US. Its policy dialogue will focus on the thematic and operational priorities, priority actions, and resource needs for the period 2017-2018, taking into account the review cycle of the HLPF during the biennium and the theme of the International Day of Forests, ‘Forests and Sustainable Cities.’

The Forum will also provide a contribution to the follow-up, review and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets under consideration by the HLPF in July. In particular, SDG 15 (life on land) is among the sub-set of Goals to be reviewed by HLPF 2018, including SDG target 15.2, which calls for promoting “the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally.”

The UNFF13 agenda includes discussions on the contributions of forests in accelerating achievement of the SDGs and in attaining sustainable and resilient societies. It will also address monitoring, assessment and reporting frameworks, the mobilization of forest financing, and strategies for communication and outreach. A Ministerial Roundtable and a series of interactive panel discussions will be held during the session.

In particular, UNFF13 will discuss:

  • emerging issues and challenges of global significance that are related to and/or have an impact on forests and sustainable forest management;
  • UN system organizations’ and partners’ activities contributing to the achievement of the Global Forest Goals and targets of the UNSPF;
  • Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF)-proposed set of global forest indicators;
  • the cycle and format for national voluntary reporting at the Forum;
  • guidelines for the operation of the Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network and measures to increase its effectiveness and efficiency; and
  • the Communication and Outreach Strategy for the UNSPF.

A series of background analytical studies have been published in preparation for UNFF13 deliberations. They address: forest ecosystem services; forests and water; forests and energy; and sustainable consumption and production of forest products. In addition, a background note focuses on wood energy use in India. Meetings in preparation for UNFF13 included ‘Working Across Sectors to Halt Deforestation and Increase Forest Area.’

The UNFF was established in 2000, following a five-year period of forest policy dialogue within the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests and the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests. [IISD RS Coverage of UNFF13] [UNFF13 Webpage] [UN Press Release] [Background Analytical Study 1: Forest Ecosystem Services] [Background Analytical Study 2: Forests and Water] [Background Analytical Study 3: Forests and Energy] [Background Analytical Study 4: Sustainable Consumption and Production of Forest Products]


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