The UNFF Secretariat prepared a background note that provides an overview of intersessional activities related to the reporting process for the Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030.
The note suggests encouraging countries to submit voluntary national reports to UNFF, including by sharing success stories and best practices.
15 February 2019: In preparation for the 14th session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF 14), the UNFF Secretariat has released a background note on progress towards implementing the UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030 (UNSPF). The note shares suggestions and proposals for UNFF 14’s consideration.
The background note titled, ‘Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting on Progress Towards Implementing the UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030, Including the UN Forest Instrument and Voluntary Contributions’ (E/CN.18/2019/3), provides an overview of intersessional activities related to the reporting process for the Strategic Plan. The 13th session of the UNFF adopted a format for voluntary national reporting on progress towards implementing the UNSFP, and decided it would consider the results of the first round of voluntary national reporting at its 15th session in 2020. UNFF 13 underscored the importance of minimizing inconsistent interpretation of questions and concerns in the reporting format. In response, the UNFF Secretariat organized an expert meeting in November 2018 to develop and agree on explanatory notes for reporting. The background note contains the explanatory notes as an annex.
On indicators, the note suggests that terms like “forest-dependent people” be developed.
The note also reports on progress towards the development of a global core set of forest-related indicators. UNFF 13 welcomed progress by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) in developing a global set of forest-related indicators that are aligned with the seven thematic elements of sustainable forest management (SFM). In addition, the note states that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) Council endorsed the core set of indicators in December 2018. The note observes that indicators 13 (number of forest-dependent people in extreme poverty) and 14 (contribution of forests to food security) are closely related to global forest goals and could become usable indicators, although suggests that terms like “forest-dependent people” be developed. The note further suggests developing additional indicators that recognize the contributions of forest ecosystem services and promoting greater coordination with national statistical offices, including to increase understanding of the relationships between forests, poverty eradication and food security to design appropriate national census questions.
On suggestions and proposals for UNFF, the note recommends encouraging countries to submit voluntary national reports to UNFF, including by sharing success stories and best practices, and suggests that these reports serve as a basis for the UNFF “flagship publication.” The note further suggests requesting voluntary contributions from the Forum Trust Fund to support activities related to monitoring, assessment and reporting, including preparation of the flagship publication. [Monitoring, Assessment and Reporting on Progress Towards Implementing the UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017-2030, Including the UN Forest Instrument and Voluntary National Contributions]