State of the World’s Forests 2005 launched

The latest edition of FAO’s flagship publication on the status of the forest sector.

The sixth edition of State of the World’s Forests, FAO’s biennial report of the global picture of the forestry sector, was presented officially on the first day of COFO 2005.

State of the World’s Forests 2005 provides the latest information on major policy developments and key emerging issues. Published in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish, it offers up-to-date analysis regarding the challenges and opportunities facing the sector in today’s world. The theme of the 2005 edition – “Realizing the economic benefits from forest” – highlights the intrinsic link between encouraging sustainable forest management and ensuring economic viability of the sector as a whole.

The report is divided into two parts. Part I offers an overview of the situation and the recent developments in the forest sector. The first chapter examines global forest resources, focusing in particular on carbon stock changes, secondary forests, small island developing states and non-wood forest products. The report then explores the management, conservation and sustainable development of forests, touching on forest landscape restoration, forest ecotourism, bio­security, biotechnology and wildland fires. Institutional issues highlighted in the next chapter include privatization of forests, forest law compliance and the Kyoto Protocol. The section concludes with a round-up of the latest developments in the international forest policy dialogue, including a history of the dialogue and an analysis of progress to date, as well as a summary of the XII World Forestry Congress.

Part II is structured in five chapters, each exploring a specific subject of particular relevance to the 2005 theme of realizing economic benefits. The first chapter focuses on enhancing the economic benefits from forests. It encourages the valorization of all forest products and services including environmental ones; the development of innovative financing mechanisms; and the creation of markets for services to stimulate investment in sustainable forest management.

The potential of agroforestry – cultivating trees in combination with crops and livestock – is examined in the next chapter, which highlights the economic advantages of this widespread practice.

Wood energy is the main source of energy for more than 2 billion people, and this number is likely to grow as the world turns towards the use of renewable energy sources. The following chapter outlines key considerations for the development of future programmes and policies that can help countries develop the wood energy sector to meet broader goals and objectives.

The complex relationship between trade and sustainable forest management is tackled in the fourth chapter. Global forest trade is expanding, although the trade measures that govern these transactions vary by product, region and country. The report assesses the positive and negative effects of tariffs and non-tariff trade measures on sustainable forest management, also addressing related issues of certification, market access and international trade agreements.

Finally, State of the World’s Forests 2005 examines why so many of the world’s conflicts occur in forested areas. It identifies the characteristics of recent armed disputes, studying their links to forests, and explores the influence of post-conflict situations on forests. In concluding, the chapter identifies possible strategies to help prevent negative impacts of conflict.

The annexes provide country-by-country statistics in the following tables: basic country data; forest area and area change (from FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment 2000 [FRA 2000]); forest types, volume and biomass (from FRA 2000); production, trade and consumption of forest products (2002 statistics); and ratification status of global environmental agreements (as of 1 December 2004).

State of the World’s Forests 2005 will be an essential tool for forest practitioners, policy-makers, researchers, educators, forest industry and all members of civil society who wish to gain insight into how to achieve sustainable forest management. The publication is available online in all five languages on the FAO Forestry Web site (www.fao.org/forestry/sofo) and printed copies can be requested from: [email protected]