The 17th session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF17) has set out a roadmap of actions on forest policy issues for the next two years. The Forum recognized the importance of forests as a cross-sectoral issue in tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and disaster risk reduction (DRR) while providing people with food, water, wood products, vital medicines, shelter, jobs, and security.

In its report of the meeting, the Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) notes that, meeting in person for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, delegates reflected on UNFF’s progress in light of recent and current global forest-related policy developments, including the:

• 2021 Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use;
• Seoul Forest Declaration, adopted at the XV World Forestry Congress in May 2022;
• Upcoming meeting of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in July that will review progress on five Goals, including SDG 15 (life on land); and
• Ongoing negotiations on a post-2020 global biodiversity framework under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Leaders from the UNFCCC, CBD, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, and the Bezos Earth Fund, along with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Youth, also gathered for a high-level roundtable where they recognized UNFF’s role in “helping turn the tide on deforestation.” They emphasized the increasing recognition of forests as “one of the best tools” for achieving commitments under the Paris Agreement on climate change, combating biodiversity loss, and achieving the SDGs, including sustainable food systems, by 2030.

While high-level roundtable participants acknowledged that halting deforestation and achieving the Global Forest Goals (GFGs) require concerted action by governments, the private sector, and civil society, the ENB analysis of UNFF17 flags that “recognizing these interlinkages was the subject of much debate” during the negotiations on an “omnibus” resolution, which covers, among other issues, enhancing cooperation, coordination, and engagement on forest-related issues, and the Forum’s contribution to the HLPF.  

Another major issue under discussion was the 2024 mid-term review (MTR) of the effectiveness of the International Arrangement on Forests (IAF), which includes UNFF and its Member States, the UNFF Secretariat, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), the UNFF Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network, and the UNFF Trust Fund. The ENB analysis of the meeting notes that many delegates sought to leverage the MTR to strengthen the interlinkages between UNFF and other instruments such as the SDGs.

UNFF17 convened from 9-13 May 2022 at UN Headquarters in New York, US, with virtual participation allowed for members unable to attend due to COVID-19 restrictions. UNFF is a subsidiary body of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), with the main objective of promoting the management, conservation, and sustainable development of all types of forests. [ENB Summary of UNFF17] [UNFF17 Webpage]