2019 International Day of Forests

 

2019 International Day of Forests  

Carla Mucavi, Director, FAO Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York

 

 

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am pleased to represent FAO at today’s celebration of the International Day of Forests and thank DESA for the kind invitation extended to us and for the strong collaboration existing in this field.

The International Day of Forests is being celebrated around the world and in FAO Headquarters in Rome to highlight the critical role forests play in our lives.

Let me start my intervention with a question?

Where would you find the world’s largest recreation center and the most natural supermarket?

Your answer may not be “in the Forest” That’s the thing about forests. They keep secrets.

Forests are quietly working in the background, secretly cleaning our water, filtering our air and protecting us from the impact of climate change.

They provide food, medicine and fuel, while also housing over three-quarters of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity.

Forests and trees cover over 30% of the globe’s land surface, contribute to the daily life of about 2.4 billion people and through the various ecosystem services they make life possible on Earth.

Despite these benefits, however, the integrity and sustainability of the world's forests are threatened by the cumulative effects of deforestation, land degradation and competition for alternative land uses.

This is why the 2030 Agenda underscores the vital role forests play in addressing todays challenges, such as tackling climate change, ending hunger and keeping urban and rural communities sustainable.

The importance of forests will only grow as the world population climbs to 8.5 billion by 2030.

As we live more and more in urban areas, we tend to lose sight of the benefits that forests bring. Health cities need trees, parks and forests for sustainable cities and peri-urban landscapes of the future.

The theme for 2019 International Day of Forests “Learn to Love Forests” comes at the right time. We see across the globe young people getting involved and raising their voices to step up action to preserve the planet.

We all have the responsibility to ensure that this will happen to safeguard a better World for our children and the future generations.  

Since its inception, FAO has been at the forefront of addressing forestry management. Through its governing bodies like COFO (Committee on Forests) and its Regional Forestry Commissions, member countries guide our way on sustainable forestry including education, capacity building and knowledge management.

FAO is an active partner in the global, multilateral and interagency Forests discussions; as a host of the Global Mountain Partnership; as a member of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), UN REDD and REDD+ and many other international organizations active in this field.

FAO’s brand in forestry includes technical expertise and global public goods, such as policies, statistics and international instruments, but also its flagship publications. For instance, “The State of the World Forests” Known as SOFO dedicated its 2018 edition to the role of Forests in realizing the 2030 Agenda.

The report showed evidence on how forests are critical to sustainable livelihoods and how productive forests are essential to sustainable development.

In the eve of concluding CSW, let me highlight the involvement of women in forestry-related activities and the considerable opportunities for improving gender equality and raising their empowerment.

The 2018 SOFO recognized that forests go far beyond SDG15, as they cut across the entire 2030 Agenda.

Another important flagship is the Forest Resources Assessment (FRA), produced since 1946, monitoring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal 15 – Life on Land.

FAO and partners are working to raise awareness about issues threatening our forests and strive to support the creation of comprehensive forestry education programmes and rural vocational schools that can skill professionals to deal with the complex challenges and opportunities that the forest sector will continue to face.

One of the projects announced today in Rome aims to increase forest literacy and the need to manage forests sustainably among children aged 9-12 in Tanzania and the Philippines.

Another excellent example is the Youth Guide Books and Challenge Badges, used by millions of scouts and school children around the world. They educate young people on forests, oceans, biodiversity and others.

Produced together with the Youth and United Nations Global Alliance (YUNGA), UN agencies, civil society organizations and other entities these publications reach millions of kids around the world.

Young people from over 70 countries use the YUNGA resources. I think, this is very promising.

Let me conclude by quoting the wise words of the late Secretary General Kofi Annan: "You are never too young to lead and never too old to learn.”

In the spirit of today’s theme, we all need to keep learning about our forests.

Happy International Day of Forests.