Perfil de los miembros
Tomasz Juszczak
Organización:
UNFF Secretariat
País:
Estados Unidos de América
Campo(s) de especialización:
I am working on:
Various issues related to sustainable forest management, including monitoring, assessment and reporting on forests
![](https://assets.fsnforum.fao.org/public/styles/thumbnail_130/public/default_images/person.png?itok=IuY45UU5)
Tomasz Juszczak
This is a step in the right direction as, indeed, this work will further contribute to the reduction of overlaps in data collection/reporting burden and will enhance the consistency of forest data. The current set fulfils the purpose of providing input for SDG Indicator 15.2.1: “Progress towards sustainable forest management” – as it contains all five “sub indicators” included under .15.2.1.
It will also support monitoring progress towards Global Forest Goals (GFG)/targets of the UN Strategic Plan for Forests and SDGs/targets other than 15.2 – although, to a lesser extent. E.g.:
GFG2: Enhance forest-based economic, social and environmental benefits, including by improving the livelihoods of forest dependent people, contains 5 targets:
2.1 Extreme poverty for all forest dependent people is eradicated.
2.2 Increase the access of small-scale forest enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets.
2.3 The contribution of forests and trees to food security is significantly increased.
2.4 The contribution of forest industry, other forest-based enterprises and forest ecosystem services to social, economic and environmental development, among others, is significantly increased.
2.5 The contribution of all types of forests to biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaptation is enhanced, taking into account the mandates and ongoing work of relevant conventions and instruments.
Indicator 16 of the core set, which still needs to be developed, will help measuring progress towards target 2.1; however, support for measuring other targets is less clear. This need for indicators/data gap is related not only to GFG2, but also to other SDGs - beyond SDG 15 and, in general, to measuring the contribution of forest to sustainable development. We, as forest community, always state and communicate the “importance” of forests to e.g. food security or poverty eradication; however, we still lack solid data/evidence for these statements. It is not an easy area of work, methodologies for specific indicators are still needed. We do need to enhance data availability and quality and build capacity for all this. However, these are the reporting requirements that could help to demonstrate the full benefits coming from forests. Thus, we strongly support further work, as needed, on Indicator 16 and, if possible, considering adding an indicator that could help measuring progress towards contribution of forests to food security: GFG2, target 2.3 and SDG3.
thank you very much for providing the opportunity to comment,
Tomasz