Participants exchanged ideas and experiences on the role of forests and sustainable forest management for developing a green economy.
Resulting recommendations covered: approaching forest policy more holistically; improving inter-agency coordination and planning; intensifying the work of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF); and focusing on rural forest stakeholders in both developing and developed countries.
7 October 2011: The Conference on Forests in a Green Economy has concluded with recommended actions on how to realize the potential of forests to help build a green economy. The recommendations and conclusions of the conference will be submitted to both the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) in 2012 and the 10th Session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF 10), to be held in 2013.
The objectives of the conference, held from 4-7 October 2011 in Bonn, Germany, were to exchange ideas and experiences concerning the roles of forests and sustainable forest management for developing a green economy, and to promote alliances, partnerships and networking within and among Parties of the UNFF and the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD). Representatives of governments, the private sectors, civil society and intergovernmental organizations took part in plenary and panel sessions, as well as thematic working groups for in-depth discussions addressing: forest valuation and financing; institutions, governance and stakeholders; benefiting people; and technology transfer, capacity building, bio-based products and the role of the private sector.
The working groups formulated recommendations that were included in report of the meeting, including on: guidance for improved implementation of existing tools and instruments to better access financing and build capacity; approaching forest policy more holistically; improving inter-agency coordination and planning; intensifying the work of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF); creating enabling conditions and capacity to expand access to information, communications and telecommunications technology and geospatial technology services to rural and underserved areas; focusing on rural forest stakeholders in both developing and developed countries; and enacting coherent policies at all levels and public-private partnerships to activate incentives for the development of the forest sector.
The finalized summary of the conference and its recommendations are expected to be available on the meeting website on 14 October 2011. [IISD RS Coverage of the Meeting] [Conference Website]