The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the forestry department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) have published a study paper on the Lviv Forum, which focuses on the emerging green economy and forests in Eastern Europe and Northern and Central Asia.
24 April 2013: The UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the forestry department of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) have published a study paper on the Lviv Forum, which focuses on the emerging green economy and forests in Eastern Europe and Northern and Central Asia.
Accordingly, the paper addresses sustainable forest management (SFM), forest ecosystem services and forests in low carbon economies, emerging employment and livelihood opportunities in the forest sector, and forest governance. The study identifies the central challenges to forest sector in the region as: remoteness and limited infrastructure; transition and changes in structures and society; governance; illegal logging; low forest cover; and limited priority for the forest sector in national development plans.
The publication reflects on the Vision and message for the future adopted by the Lviv Forum, which has ten points: capturing the true values of forests; using all resources efficiently; being energy-wise; making jobs decent and green; addressing threats to forests; defining governance principles and sticking to them; updating skills; innovating and building partnerships; cooperation across boundaries; and making the case for the forest sector’s role in the green economy.
Recommendations in the paper are specific to four groups, the Balkans, Eastern Europe, North and Central Asia and Ukraine. They range from carrying out research to increasing forest cover and improving stakeholder engagement.
The Lviv Forum is a country-led initiative of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF). [Publication: Geneva Timber and Forest Study paper 32 – Lviv Forum on Forests in a Green Economy for Countries in Eastern Europe, Northern and Central Asia]