10 April 2015: The Bureau of the eleventh session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF11) has released non-papers with possible elements for the Ministerial Declaration and Resolution, for consideration ahead of the meeting. The drafts are based on submissions from Member States identifying key elements and priorities.

The draft Resolution presents options for the future of the International Arrangement on Forests (IAF), extending it and the Global Objectives on Forests (GOF) to 2030 and calling for continued integration of the IAF and its components into the post-2015 development agenda. The draft further elaborates the UNFF, calling for it to be renamed the ‘UN Forest Assembly’ and setting out its operation under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). With regard to financing for sustainable forest management (SFM), the draft suggests an upgrading and strengthening of the facilitative process as well as the establishment of either a voluntary strategic fund or a voluntary global forest fund.

The draft Declaration focuses on options for implementation and sustainable financing, including calls for greater stakeholder participation and cross-sectoral coordination. It presents further commitments with regard to resource mobilization and emphasizes the need to provide the IAF and UNFF with adequate resources to develop and implement the strategic plan for the IAF beyond 2015. [Publication: Non-Paper on Possible Elements for Inclusion in the UNFF11 Draft Resolution on the IAF Beyond 2015] [Publication: Non-Paper on Possible Elements for Inclusion in the Draft Ministerial Declaration of UNFF11]