Save forests to reach furthest behind, says FAO ahead of HLPF

“Trees and forests contribute to achieving multiple targets across the 2030 Agenda and need to be incorporated into strategies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Eva Müller, Director of FAO's Forestry Policy and Resources Division, at the event, “Forest-based Transformation towards Sustainable and Resilient Societies,” in advance of the 2018 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) on 8 July in New York.

Organized by the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF), the event sought to explore ways and means to accelerate progress towards achievement of forest related SDGs, and the Global Forest Goals of the UN Strategic Plan on Forests (UNSPF).

The event also marked the New York launch of FAO’s State of the World’s Forests (SOFO).

Briefing the participants on the key messages from SOFO, Müller highlighted the impact sustainable forest management can have on poverty eradication, food production, nutrition, biodiversity conservation, clean water, sustainable energy use and sustainable cities, encompassing the SDGs under review at the HLPF. She also stressed the importance of building an enabling environment that engages forest communities and stakeholders, provides clear legal frameworks, incentivizes the private sector and builds broader partnerships that balance interests and manage sector trade-offs.

“It is time to acknowledge that food security, agriculture and forestry can no longer be treated in isolation,” Müller emphasized.

Zhenmin Liu, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, delivered the opening remarks at the event, informing that proper forest management could account for 25% of the efforts needed to achieve the Paris Agreement’s climate goals.

Delivering a keynote speech, Josh Frydenberg, Minister for the Environment and Energy of Australia, shared Australia’s work in sustainable forest management through the Asia-Pacific Rainforest Partnership.

Jaana Husu-Kallio, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Finland, also provided a keynote speech and emphasized the enormous potential of forests to contribute to several SDGs.

Bringing together more than 1000 government, business and civil society leaders, the HLPF meets annually under the auspices of ECOSOC, including a three-day ministerial segment. This year’s Forum will convene from 9-18 July under the theme, “Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies”, taking stock of the achievements made in the implementation of the SDGs as well as the challenges that threaten to slow the progress.” The session on SDG 15 will take place on 13 July and be moderated by FAO.