1. The fourth and final session of the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF-4), which was held from 31 January to 11 February 2000 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States of America, offers the opportunity to review some possible future developments in relation to sustainable forest management in the Near East Region.

SUMMARY OF IFF-4

2. The last session of IFF had two main objectives: to finalize remaining unresolved issues concerning programme elements discussed by the first three sessions, and to decide on a text for Category III, "International arrangements and mechanisms to promote the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests". The delegates were highly committed to concluding all the issues at hand and to producing a final report, with no unresolved points, for submission to the eighth session of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD-8) in April 2000.

3. IFF-4 was co-chaired by Ambassador Bagher Asadi of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Ambassador Ilkka Ristim�ki of Finland. Opening speeches were given by the Chair of the Inter-agency Task Force on Forests (ITFF), Mr. David A. Harcharik, Deputy-Director General of FAO; the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Mr. Klaus T�pfer; the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Louise Fr�chette; the Assistant Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Ms. Eimi Watanabe; and Mr. Juan Mayr, Colombian Minister of Environment and CSD-8 Chair. Mr. Harcharik summed up important concerns of many present when he pointed out the need for clear objectives, the importance of moving from talk to action, and the need for partnerships to avoid duplication and develop synergy.

4. Regarding the programme elements (see Box), the delegates arrived at conclusions and proposals for action regarding all the remaining issues, which were presented to CSD-8. The greatest attention, however, was focused on Category III, concerning international arrangements. Issues that emerged prominently in the debate were whether an international arrangement on forests should include a legally binding instrument; the financing of sustainable forest management; and transfer of environmentally sound technology. Although agreement was not reached easily, the meeting finally adopted a text to be submitted for adoption by CSD, entitled "International Arrangement on Forests".

5. The agreed text outlined the objectives, purpose, functions, structure, working modalities and coordination and implementation mechanisms of a proposed international arrangement whose objective would be "to promote the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests and to strengthen long-term political commitment to this end".

6. The purpose of this arrangement would be "to promote the implementation of internationally agreed actions on forests, at the national, regional and global levels, to provide a coherent, transparent and participatory global framework for policy implementation, coordination and development, and to carry out principal functions, based on the Rio Declaration, the Forest Principles, Chapter 11 of Agenda 21, and the outcomes of the IPF/IFF process, in a manner consistent with and complementary to existing international legally binding instruments relevant to forests".

7. To this end, it was proposed to create a new intergovernmental body, which may be called the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF). This high-level body would be established by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the General Assembly. It would be open to all States and to relevant United Nations and other international and regional organizations, institutions and instruments and major groups as identified in Agenda 21. It would initially meet annually, for a period of up to two weeks (subject to review), and would include a two- to three-day high-level ministerial segment, as well as a meeting between ministers and heads of member organizations.

8. UNFF would work on the basis of a multi-year programme of work, drawing on elements reflected in the Rio Declaration, the Forest Principles, Chapter 11 of Agenda 21 and the proposals for action of the ad hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF) and IFF.

9. It was agreed that, within five years, UNFF should consider with a view to recommending the parameters of a mandate for developing a legal framework on all types of forests; and that the body should take steps to devise approaches towards appropriate financial and technology transfer support to enable the implementation of sustainable forest management, as recommended under the IPF and IFF processes.

10. The Forum invited executive heads of relevant organizations of the United Nations system and heads of other relevant international and regional organizations, institutions and instruments to form a collaborative partnership on forests to support the work of the UNFF and to enhance cooperation and coordination among participants and further noted that this collaborative partnership could "build on a high-level, informal group, such as the Inter-agency Task Force on Forests (ITFF), which would receive guidance from the UNFF, facilitate and promote coordinated and cooperative action, including joint programming and submissions of coordinated proposals to their respective governing bodies; and facilitate donor coordination. Such a partnership would submit coordinated inputs and progress reports to the UNFF, and operate in an open, transparent and flexible manner, and undertake periodic reviews of its effectiveness."

11. Funding for the arrangement should be mobilized from the regular budget of the United Nations within existing resources, resources of organizations participating in the partnership and extrabudgetary resources provided by interested donors. It was agreed that the international arrangement on forests should be dynamic and should adapt to evolving conditions. Accordingly, the effectiveness of the arrangement would be reviewed in five years.

EXPECTATIONS OF COUNTRIES

12. The compromises that were necessary to reach agreement at IFF-4 inevitably imply that no country was fully satisfied with the result. On the other hand, the determination that countries showed in reaching a result demonstrated their commitment to continuing the international dialogue on forests. A selection of some of the expressed expectations of countries from the UNFF include:

• increased efforts to combat deforestation;
• in support of the above, improved arrangements for financing sustainable forest management and conservation, including the development of innovative mechanisms for funding and possible new opportunities under the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change;
• improved transfer of appropriate technologies;
• the reflection of the outcome of IFF-4 in other instruments such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Desertification Convention;
• greater emphasis on regional processes in support to sustainable forest management through the development of criteria and indicators and increased regional activities in policy development, the exchange of experience and monitoring the state of forests and forest industry;
• more coordinated actions from the international and bilateral organizations acting or supporting forestry development at national level;
• improved integration of forestry within the national socio-economic and environmental policy agenda.

13. The need to convert rhetoric to action was one of the recurring themes of contributions to the debates of the IFF and the challenge in implementing the recommendations of member countries of the IFF will be to translate these expectations into action.

UNCED FOLLOW-UP AND SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT IN THE NEAR EAST

14. The following sections discuss the sustainable forest management in the Near East in the light of UNCED follow-up.

Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management

15. The management of natural forests is an important priority in the region and encompasses essential consideration on dry forest formations, the management of non-wood forest resources, the occurrence and impact of forest fires and the multiplicity of services requested from forests in the region. The use of forest land for fodder production is a dominant feature of forest conservation, management and development in the region. Efforts being developed to address deforestation, forest management and development needs take these into consideration. In the framework of Silva Mediterranea a series of training courses were developed addressing forest fire control and in particular the establishment of data bases on forest fires. FAO has assisted a number of countries on the subject through a TCP project.

16. The agreement on common criteria by which sustainable forest management can be defined and indicators by which progress can be assessed or measured are important tools which can assist countries to regularly monitor the effects of forest management interventions and to adjust practices to ensure increased sustainability of the socio-economic, environmental and cultural values that forests and forest ecosystems provide. The Near East Process on Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management has its origins in recommendations of the Near East Forestry Commission, which has also regularly reviewed and monitored progress in this Process, which is jointly coordinated by FAO and UNEP. Participating countries have to date held four meetings (October 1996, July 1997, December 1998 and June 2000). Seven national level criteria and sixty-five indicators have been identified, focused mainly on dry-zone forests and woodlands. Following review of the applicability at national level of the criteria and indicators preliminarily identified, draft guidelines for assessment and monitoring have been developed for field testing and subsequent use by countries concerned.

17. The recommendations of the meeting of Low Forest Cover Countries in Teheran in October 1999 and the proposal to develop criteria and indicators under the Teheran Process (see Information Note FO:NEFC/2000/INF.5, presented to this session of the Commission) is also relevant.

Special Needs for Low Forest Cover Countries and Support to the Implementation of the Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD)

18. The contribution to forestry to the implementation of UNCED should be seen in the dual aspect of the special needs of low forest cover countries (LFCCs) and the implementation of the CCD.

19. Regarding LFCCs, the open-ended international meeting of experts on Special Needs and Requirements of Developing Countries with Low Forest Cover and Unique Types of Forest, a government-led initiative backed by FAO and UNEP, in support of the programme of work of the IFF, was held in Teheran, Islamic Republic of Iran, from 4 to 8 October 1999. A full description is in Information Note FO:NEFC/2000/INF.5, presented to this session of the Commission. The meeting was held to exchange views and experience on how to address the special needs and requirements of these countries by adopting important strategic proposals for action and promoting practical steps towards the development of forest resources in affected countries. The Teheran Declaration that arose from the meeting suggested a number of policy and operational measures whose ultimate goals would promote the management and rehabilitation of natural forest, woodland, tree and rangeland resources, taking into account ecosystem management, the needs of communities (including herders) and their effective involvement in planning and decision-making. In this the special importance of non-wood forest products, and small scale industries developing them, were stressed as well as relevant ecosystem conservation issues, energy, plantations establishment. An important recommendation of the meeting was to establish a Process which would be known as the Teheran Process, to mark the occasion of the first meeting focusing on low forest cover country issues. The objective is to bring together low forest cover countries (including small island states with low forest cover) to address their common issues and needs, to provide a forum to address the specific needs of developing countries with low forest cover and to place the issue of LFCCs on the political and policy agenda of future international deliberations.

20. FAO has included the special concerns of LFCCs in the implementation of the Forestry Department's programme for the current biennium, but even more importantly has included these concerns in the Medium-term Plan 2002-2007.

21. Regarding the CCD, FAO has been encouraging its implementation through a number of normative and operational activities and cooperation with main partners, including the Secretariat of the Convention and the Global Mechanism established to facilitate the financing of the CCD, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). FAO has been facilitating a synergistic approach to post UNCED Conventions and has hosted a workshop convened by the Italian Government on the subject. A number of countries of the region in the Mediterranean basin participated and recommended a number of facilitating mechanisms, including the establishment of a Mediterranean clearing house mechanism to exchange information on the implementation of the CCD. Operational activities cover countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen.

Implementation of Chapter 13 and preparations for the International Year of Mountains

22. Information document FO:NEFC/2000/INF.4 gives an update on the preparation of the International Year of Mountains. Regarding the implementation of Chapter 13, FAO will be focussing on a regional process to promote mountain-related cooperation in the region, including networking in the framework of the Global Mountain Forum, a network on NGO promoting the mountain agenda, in cooperation with international organizations and major groups.