FAO forest and climate change programme

The FAO's forest and climate change programme works to enhance national and international action on forests and climate change adaptation and mitigation. It aims to raise awareness, strengthen technical capacities and create enabling policy environments for action. The programme collaborates with a wide range of partners and stakeholders, including national forests departments, non governmental organizations, academics, international organizations and convention secretariats and others on forests, forest-based energy and climate change issues. It collaborates with FAO's other departments to encourage cross sectoral and landscape approaches to climate change. It works to strengthen links among forestry, agriculture, fishery and energy sectors and between climate change and food security, poverty reduction and a green economy.

Integrating climate change concerns into core forestry activities

The programme provides input to and fosters synergies with most other FAO programmes, both within the Forestry Department as well as within other departments such as Natural Resources. The programme also works together with international organizations, including members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, and with regional organizations to make the links between climate change and sustainable forest management at policy and field level.

Advocating forests in international climate change policy

FAO monitors developments on forest related issues in the international negotiations under way in UNFCCC. FAO supports UNFCCC and its secretariat through document reviews and technical papers, by active participation in expert groups and in organization of side events during the negotiations. FAO is also working closely with IPCC on technical aspects of forests and climate change, including as relates to forest carbon inventories and assessment of forests’ roles in the global carbon cycle and in mitigation and adaptation.

Assisting member countries through information and technical assistance

On request from member countries, the programme provides support and builds capacity on forest and climate change. This is done through workshops and information materials (a monthly newsletter – CLIM-FO-L, publications and policy briefs). The programme has developed  guidelines to assist countries integrate climate change at the policy level and is in the process of finalizing guidelines at the field level. FAO is fostering regional collaboration in forests and climate change to complement national action. The programme has also carried out analyses of the mitigation potential of woodfuels, intended increase understanding of this opportunity and to stimulate national mitigation action, possibly with FAO support.