PART I THE SITUATION AND DEVELOPMENTS IN THE FOREST SECTOR forest fires. CBD thus appears to be focusing partnerships. However, it is up to countries to increasingly on the management and use of conserve forest biological diversity at the forest resources rather than on biological national level, as no outside organization can diversity in forest ecosystems per se undertake this, any more than it can halt In the course of this process, the debate has at deforestation. times been confusing. For example, the use of The Secretariat of CBD is the focal agency such terms in COp-6 documents as"harvesting within CPF for forest-related traditional of forest biodiversity","management of forest knowledge. COP-6 called on the CBD and"forest biodiv Secretariat to facilitate the coordination and oroducts"leaves the impression that diversity is cooperation of CPF members in implementing synonymous with resources. This is clearly not the CBD expanded programme of work and the the case, inasmuch as resources are managed IPF/IFF proposals for action related to forest and harvested, and products are obtained from biological diversity. It also urged CPF to ne resources. More important, CBD seems to be consider the CBD Secretariat as the focal point moving far away from its own definition of for forest biological diversity and CPF accepted biological diversity as"the variability among this request Another shift is the increasing reliance of The ecosystem approach and sustainable parties on international organizations to support forest management implementation of decisions and to assist with Amid growing confusion, calls are being made national reporting. There are growing to clarify the relationship between an ecosystem expectations that CPF assume a larger role in approach on the one hand, and sustainable this regard, a trend that has also emerged in forest management on the other. In essence, unFF deliberations while there are both differences and similarities they are mutually supportive rather than Role of cpf contradictory concepts, with sustainable forest As already noted, CPF was established to support management encompassing the principles of the the work of UNFF and to enhance collaboration ecosystem approach. among its members on forest-related issues Sustainable forest management refers to Consistent with this mandate, UNFF invited CPF meeting present needs for forest goods and to support its Multi-Year Programme of Work services, while ensuring their continued and Plan of Action, especially with regard to availability in the long term. The concept implementing the IPF/IFF proposals for action. combines the production of wood and NWFPs Soon after, COP-6 to CBD invited CPF to support with the conservation of soil, water and the expanded Programme of Work on Forest biological diversity, while the socio-economic, Biological Diversity cultural and spiritual values of forests are While CPF is a voluntary partnership that maintained or enhanced. The conservation of receives guidance from UNFF, it is not an biological diversity thus constitutes an essential implementing agency, as CPF members operate and integral element of sustainable forest individually under their own mandates, work management, as recognized in all international programmes and budgets, which are approved criteria and indicators processes y their respective governing bodies Still CPf CBd defines the ecosystem approach as the members can act as catalysts in countries to help integrated management of land, water and implement sustainable forest management. They living resources, which promotes their and other international and bilateral conservation and sustainable use in an equitable organizations can provide assistance and way. Accordingly, forest ecosystems should be technical support, help raise awareness of needs, managed for their intrinsic values and for the advise on strategies and help build capacity and tangible benefits they provide to humans
47 SECTOR FOREST THE IN DEVELOPMENTS AND SITUATION THE I PART focusing be to appears thus CBD. fires forest of use and management the on increasingly biological on than rather resources forest .se per ecosystems forest in diversity at has debate the, process this of course the In of use the, example For. confusing been times harvesting “as documents 6-COP in terms such forest of management”, “biodiversity forest of biodiversity forest “and” diversity biological is diversity that impression the leaves” products not clearly is This. resources with synonymous managed are resources as inasmuch, case the from obtained are products and, harvested and be to seems CBD, important More. resources the of definition own its from away far moving among variability the “as diversity biological .“organisms living of reliance increasing the is shift Another support to organizations international on parties with assist to and decisions of implementation growing are There. reporting national in role larger a assume CPF that expectations in emerged also has that trend a, regard this .deliberations UNFF CPF of Role support to established was CPF, noted already As collaboration enhance to and UNFF of work the .issues related-forest on members its among CPF invited UNFF, mandate this with Consistent Work of Programme Year-Multi its support to to regard with especially, Action of Plan and .action for proposals IFF/IPF the implementing support to CPF invited CBD to 6-COP, after Soon Forest on Work of Programme expanded the .Diversity Biological that partnership voluntary a is CPF While an not is it, UNFF from guidance receives operate members CPF as, agency implementing work, mandates own their under individually approved are which, budgets and programmes CPF Still. bodies governing respective their by help to countries in catalysts as act can members They. management forest sustainable implement bilateral and international other and and assistance provide can organizations ,needs of awareness raise help, support technical and capacity build help and strategies on advise to countries to up is it, However. partnerships the at diversity biological forest conserve can organization outside no as, level national halt can it than more any, this undertake .deforestation agency focal the is CBD of Secretariat The traditional related-forest for CPF within CBD the on called 6-COP. knowledge and coordination the facilitate to Secretariat implementing in members CPF of cooperation the and work of programme expanded CBD the forest to related action for proposals IFF/IPF to CPF urged also It. diversity biological point focal the as Secretariat CBD the consider accepted CPF and diversity biological forest for .request this sustainable and approach ecosystem The management forest made being are calls, confusion growing Amid ecosystem an between relationship the clarify to sustainable and, hand one the on approach ,essence In. other the on management forest ,similarities and differences both are there while than rather supportive mutually are they forest sustainable with, concepts contradictory the of principles the encompassing management .approach ecosystem to refers management forest Sustainable and goods forest for needs present meeting continued their ensuring while, services concept The. term long the in availability NWFPs and wood of production the combines and water, soil of conservation the with ,economic-socio the while, diversity biological are forests of values spiritual and cultural of conservation The. enhanced or maintained essential an constitutes thus diversity biological forest sustainable of element integral and international all in recognized as, management .processes indicators and criteria the as approach ecosystem the defines CBD and water, land of management integrated their promotes which, resources living equitable an in use sustainable and conservation be should ecosystems forest, Accordingly. way the for and values intrinsic their for managed .humans to provide they benefits tangible
STATE OF THE WORLDs FORESTs 2003 Challenges of international debate on forests means of evaluating progress, it also places a and forest biological diversity significant burden on countries In this regard, overlap and possible duplication in UNFF and streamlining forest-related reporting b ays of Some concern has been expressed over the UNFF recently invited CPF to propose CBD activities. One reason for these international organizations and bodies hortcomings may be that the forest community Lack of resources and insufficient capacity for is not reaching out enough to other sectors implementing action proposals is a reality of including the environment sector, which is the CBD and UNFF (as for many other fora most closely involved in CBD-to facilitate a Neither has the means to carry out action apar constructive policy dialogue. Industry and socio- from supporting information exchange and economic groups, for example those further dialogue. Indirectly, CBd has access to representing labour, local communities and funds from gef and in 2001. forests were the indigenous people, have also indicated that they subject of 80 projects-worth more than US$500 lo not feel sufficiently engaged. Another reason million-in its biological diversity portfolio may be that some deem CBD to have a higher Action by countries in response to CBD and status than UNFF. However, while CBD is UNFF commitments needs to be coordinated gally binding, its work programmes are not In and mutually supportive. Integration of the 130 this regard, they have the same status as the activities in the CBD expanded Programme of IPF/IFF proposals for action and UNFF Work on Forest Biological Diversity with the decisions more than 270 IPF/IFF proposals for action CBD has generally acknowledged the work of constitutes a major challenge. Both CBD and IPF, IFF and UNFE, but it is worrying to note that UNFF encourage a cross-sectoral approach to in the CBD negotiations there seems to be a lack national implementation through existing of knowledge of post-UNCED forest discussions frameworks: UNFF through national forest and follow-up action at the international programmes and CBd through national regional and national levels. Awareness of work biological diversity strategies and action plans carried out by international organizations such Nevertheless, according to a stud as FAO, ITTo and Cifor also appears to be commissioned by the global Forest Coalition lacking, even though efforts of these (2002), by March 2002 virtually no integration nizations in pursuit of sustainable f fore had taken place management have entailed an ecosystem While enhancing cooperation, coordination approach over the years and synergy is among the main functions of All post-UNCED fora emphasize a move from UNFE, international discussions on forests seem ialogue to action. However, neither UNFF nor to be increasingly fragmented. As CBD moves CBd has time-bound commitments or targets in beyond its initial focus on conservation to issues ts programme of work, and difficult related to resource management, there i negotiations are beginning to reflect a North/ considerable concern that other bodies, such as South divide again. Both fora spend the United Nations framework Convention on considerable time on procedural matters-for Climate Change(UNFCCC)and the World group on forest biological diversity, following those concerning reforestation and the termination of the first, whereas UNFF must rehabilitation, trade and sustainable forest continue to discuss terms of reference for thre management. If they do so without considering groups on various aspects of sustainable forest activities that are being undertaken by mandated bodies. this will lead to confusion National reporting is yet another sensitive and wasteful duplication, and it could be issue in both fora, because although it provides a counterproductive
2003 FORESTS S’WORLD THE OF STATE 48 forests on debate international of Challenges diversity biological forest and the over expressed been has concern Some and UNFF in duplication possible and overlap these for reason One. activities CBD community forest the that be may shortcomings – sectors other to enough out reaching not is the is which, sector environment the including a facilitate to – CBD in involved closely most those example for, groups economicsocio and Industry. dialogue policy constructive and communities local, labour representing they that indicated also have, people indigenous reason Another. engaged sufficiently feel not do higher a have to CBD deem some that be may is CBD while, However. UNFF than status In. not are programmes work its, binding legally the as status same the have they, regard this UNFF and action for proposals IFF/IPF .decisions of work the acknowledged generally has CBD that note to worrying is it but, UNFF and IFF, IPF lack a be to seems there negotiations CBD the in discussions forest UNCED-post of knowledge of ,international the at action up-follow and work of Awareness. levels national and regional such organizations international by out carried be to appears also CIFOR and ITTO, FAO as these of efforts though even, lacking forest sustainable of pursuit in organizations ecosystem an entailed have management .years the over approach from move a emphasize fora UNCED-post All nor UNFF neither, However. action to dialogue in targets or commitments bound-time has CBD difficult and, work of programme its /North a reflect to beginning are negotiations spend fora Both. again divide South for – matters procedural on time considerable expert establish to whether debating on example expert another established recently CBD. groups following, diversity biological forest on group must UNFF whereas, first the of termination the three for reference of terms discuss to continue forest sustainable of aspects various on groups .management sensitive another yet is reporting National a provides it although because, fora both in issue a places also it, progress evaluating of means ,regard this In. countries on burden significant of ways propose to CPF invited recently UNFF to reporting related-forest streamlining .bodies and organizations international for capacity insufficient and resources of Lack of reality a is proposals action implementing .(fora other many for as (UNFF and CBD apart action out carry to means the has Neither and exchange information supporting from to access has CBD, Indirectly. dialogue further the were forests, 2001 in and, GEF from funds 500$US than more worth – projects 80 of subject .portfolio diversity biological its in – million and CBD to response in countries by Action coordinated be to needs commitments UNFF 130 the of Integration. supportive mutually and of Programme expanded CBD the in activities the with Diversity Biological Forest on Work action for proposals IFF/IPF 270 than more and CBD Both. challenge major a constitutes to approach sectoral-cross a encourage UNFF existing through implementation national forest national through UNFF: frameworks national through CBD and programmes .plans action and strategies diversity biological study a to according, Nevertheless Coalition Forest Global the by commissioned integration no virtually 2002 March by), 2002( .place taken had coordination, cooperation enhancing While of functions main the among is synergy and seem forests on discussions international, UNFF moves CBD As. fragmented increasingly be to issues to conservation on focus initial its beyond is there, management resource to related as such, bodies other that concern considerable on Convention Framework Nations United the World the and) UNFCCC (Change Climate to wish also may), WTO (Organization Trade notably, issues forest on role leading a take and reforestation concerning those forest sustainable and trade, rehabilitation considering without so do they If. management by undertaken being are that activities confusion to lead will this, bodies mandated be could it and, duplication wasteful and .counterproductive