United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Name:	United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
Abbreviation:	UNFCCC
URL to homepage:	http://unfccc.int/
Country:	Germany

Mandate

Stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system (Article 2)
Kyoto Protocol adopted by consensus at the 3rd CoP held in Kyoto, Japan in December 1997. The Protocol includes legally-binding emission targets for developed country parties for the six major greenhouse gases which are to be reached by the period 2008-2012. Issues for future international consideration include developing rules for emission trading and methodological work in relation to forest sinks.
Develop... national inventories of anthropogenic emission by sources and removals by sinks of all greenhouse gases... (Article 4.1a)
Formulate and implement national programmes... to mitigate climate change by addressing the anthropogenic emissions by sources and removals by sinks... of greenhouse gases (Article 4.1a and b)
Calls in developed countries to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2000 (Article 4.2a and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions beyond the years 2000 (Berlin Mandate) [ref. 3]
Calls for the promotion of "... practices and process that control, reduce, or prevent anthropogenic emission of... greenhouse gases... in all relevant sectors, including the energy, transport, industry, agriculture, forests... (Article 4.1c)
Promotion of the sustainable management and conservation of sinks and reservoirs of greenhouse gases, including forests (Article 4.1d) [ref. 2 and 3]
Forestry issues are largely identified under the sector heading Landuse, Land-Use Change and Forestry Under the Kyoto Protocol (LULUCF)

Central work related to LULUCF complexities include:

defining "afforestation, reforestation and deforestation"
Devising guidelines for reporting on the LULUCF sector [ref. 6]

Relevance to forests by key words

carbon sinks, carbon sequestration, greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, land use; wood products; reporting; data