6 May 2015: “To build a sustainable, climate-resilient future for all, we must invest in our world’s forests. That will take political commitment at the highest levels, smart policies, effective law enforcement, innovative partnerships and funding,” said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon with regard to the eleventh meeting of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF11), which opened on 4 May 2015 at UN Headquarters in New York, US.

During the meeting’s opening session, the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, linked the work of UNFF11 to the post-2015 development agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), noting the role of forests in the provision of water, energy, carbon sequestration and as a source of livelihoods. The Deputy Secretary-General further called for the mainstreaming of forests across sectors, strengthened forest governance and law enforcement, greater participation of indigenous peoples and local communities, and more financing for sustainable forest management (SFM).

A number of other statements addressed discussions on the future of the International Arrangement on Forests (IAF), with some emphasizing the need for a strengthened IAF in order to deliver on the forest-related SDGs. Representatives of the UNFF and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) stressed that the IAF and UNFF have a significant role to play in mobilizing financial resources for SFM, monitoring status and trends, building capacity and facilitating the transfer of technologies, all with a view to reducing global deforestation.

A joint statement from the CGIAR Consortium’s Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) stressed the need to build a stronger science-policy interface. The statement also called for the expansion of existing initiatives and partnerships on SFM science and policy including those established through the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) and its members.

Beyond the opening, a multi-stakeholder dialogue held on the second day discussed ways to enhance the engagement of civil society in SFM. The meeting emphasized the importance of implementation, with some participants calling for the establishment of a multi-stakeholder body on SFM. Others stressed the need for adequate funding for both the implementation of SFM activities and greater support for stakeholder participation. Additional points raised by participants included the need for greater coordination between sectors and among the major groups and recognition of the role of the Major Groups Partnership on Forests (MGPoF). [DESA Press Release] [ICRAF Press Release] [UN Press Release] [Deputy Secretary-General Statement] [IISD RS Coverage of UNFF11]