UNCSD establishes open-ended intergovernmental panel on forests
Turkey to host 11th World Forestry Congress in 1997
UNCSD establishes open-ended intergovernmental panel on forests
In order to pursue consensus and formulation of coordinated proposals for action, the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), at its third session, held in New York in March 1995, decided to establish an "open-ended ad hoc Intergovernmental Panel on Forests", to work in an open, transparent and participatory manner. The panel is intended to assess action already undertaken to combat deforestation and forest degradation, including environmental and socio-economic impacts; promote multidisciplinary action at the international level consistent with the UNCED Non-Legally Binding Authoritative Statement of Principles for a Global Consensus on the Management, Conservation and Sustainable Development of All Types of Forests (the Forest Principles); and propose options for further action.
Issues for priority action
Issues for priority action should include:
Panel composition, organization and conduct of work
The Commission on Sustainable Development has conceptualized the panel as an open-ended intergovernmental body, composed of representatives from governments. intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) and the full range of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other groups will be invited to participate as observers on the panel, on an open-ended and fully participatory basis.
The panel is expected to draw particularly on the resources and technical expertise of relevant organizations, including FAO, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, the International Tropical Timber Organization, and others within and outside the United Nations system, as well as secretariats of related international conventions and NGOs.
The panel will submit a progress report to the fourth session of CSD in 1996 and its final conclusions, recommendations and proposals for action to the fifth session of CSD in 1997.
Financial support to the panel
The operation of the panel will require funding to support meetings and participation by developing country representatives and major groups from developing countries. Sources of funding could include:
Turkey to host 11th World Forestry Congress in 1997
The 108th session of the Council of FAO
The 108th session of the Council of FAO, held in Rome in June 1995, officially accepted the offer of the Government of Turkey to host the 11th World Forestry Congress in 1997. World Forestry Congresses constitute a global opportunity for the forestry profession and all individuals and institutions active in forestry to share knowledge and experiences and to express their views on the conservation and development of the world's forests. Previous world forestry congresses were held as follows:
FAO has always played a significant role in the preparation of the World Forestry Congresses. Following the sixth congress in 1966, FAO established a special unit at FAO headquarters to provide advice to the host country on the preparation of the programme of work and documentation, and to help in the distribution of information about the congress.
The third annual meeting of the Joint FAO/ECE Team of Public Relations Specialists in the Forest and Forest Industries Sector was convened at Mont Ste. Anne, Beaupré, Quebec, Canada from 5 to 8 June 1995. The following countries were represented: Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The European Forest Institute, ECE and FAO were also represented.
Background
The Joint FAO/ECE Team of Public Relations Specialists in the Forest and Forest Industries Sector was established in 1992 in accordance with decisions of the FAO European Forestry Commission and the ECE Timber Committee, stressing the importance of public relations activities in the forest and forest products sector. The 25th session of the European Forestry Commission in June 1991 agreed on the importance of "strengthening forestry agencies' activities concerned with public information and dialogue" which requires improved communication. The 49th session of the Timber Committee, held in January 1992, stressed the importance of an accurate and objective presentation of forestry and forest industry activities to the public, including policy-makers, the media and special interest groups. The 50th session of the Timber Committee in October 1992 decided to include public relations activities as a new element in its programme of work stating, "the Committee will promote the exchange of information in the field of public relations with the objective of making available high-quality information about the sector and creating a positive image of forestry and the forest industry".
Major discussions and recommendations of the meeting
Campaign reports
Selected team members presented summaries of national public relations/information campaigns, focusing on the success or failure of the effort in relation to the resources invested. The intent of the presentations was to share experience and identify common concepts or messages. Presentations were made on the Austrian national image campaign "Feel wood"; the Canadian National Forest Strategy; a promotion of appropriate use of fuelwood in Denmark; the process of launching a comprehensive corporate image for the Office national des forêts in France; response to a partially animated video produced in the Netherlands; an analysis of the relative effectiveness of public relations campaigns in Sweden spanning the period 1964 to 1994; a presentation on the current Cultural Heritage campaign in Sweden and a discussion of efforts to measure the success of what is now termed "environmental communications"; and progress on the United Kingdom forest industry's introduction of "The Woodmark", a stamp to identify sawnwood and wood products originating in United Kingdom forests and having been harvested in compliance with government felling regulations.
In the discussion that followed the presentations, it was clear that there was now a high awareness of the importance of public relations in forestry and that practical efforts were being developed rapidly. It was also apparent that national campaigns promoting wood and sustainable management of forest resources can have impacts internationally, especially with regard to campaigns that relate to internationally traded forest products.
Group discussions
The participants subsequently considered four topics in working groups: public relations activities for the Timber Committee and the European Forestry Commission; public education material; public relations training for foresters; and the public relations aspects of timber certification. The first working group recommended that publicity for the two parent bodies be concentrated on their important outputs, for example the forthcoming European Timber Trends Study V, rather than on the organizations themselves. The working group on public education material recommended a focus on key targets of children, urban audiences, women and decision-makers. They also stressed the need to be proactive in the production of education material aimed at a wide public. The group focusing on public relations training for foresters identified three key areas for action: incorporation of basic public relations training in forestry education; development of in-service training in public relations for working foresters; and special postgraduate programmes for foresters who would specialize in public relations work. It was recommended that national forestry public relations coordinating committees be established and that exchanges of foresters between countries be promoted as a means of sharing experience and expertise. The group dealing with the public relations aspects of the certification debate recommended the establishment of an international mailing list on certification; the promotion of communication on certification and, in particular, use of electronic communication potential, i.e. the Internet; and cooperation with the FAO/ECE Team of Specialists on Certification of Forest Products.
General recommendations
The meeting recommended that the team of specialists be given a renewed three-year mandate by its parent bodies, and that the network of public relations experts be strengthened by identifying key communicators in all member countries, particularly those that were currently unrepresented. It was strongly recommended that forestry public relations experts in all countries take full advantage of the communications capabilities provided by the Internet. It was also recommended that Communications strategies in forestry and the forest industry sector (a public relations "toolkit"), produced by the public relations team, be updated on a continuing basis and be more widely distributed and utilized. The meeting welcomed the offer of Austria to host the next meeting of the team of specialists, conditional to the renewal of the mandate by the parent bodies.
The full report of the meeting, and copies of the public relations toolkit, may be obtained from:
Timber Division,
ECE,
Palais des Nations,
Geneva,
Switzerland.
