High-Level Special event - Forest and Energy
Where and when
FAO
20 November 2007 01:00
Italy, Green Room, FAO HQ (14.00-17.00) - open to Conference participants
Languages: English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese
20 March 2009 18:00
Turkey, Istanbul, 5th World Water Forum, Sutluce/Haskoy Hall
Languages: English
Meeting type: Policy dialogue
Attendance type: Open
Description: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), the Nepal Water Conservation Foundation (NWCF) and the Institute of Geography of the University of Berne (GIUB) jointly organise a Side Event at the forthcoming 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul with the title "Mountains of the World: Water Towers for the 21st Century?" The side event takes place on Friday, 20 March 2009, from 5-7 PM in the Sutluce / Haskoy Hall. The event aims at sending a clear message to the water community that mountain water resources are getting under increasing pressure and that innovative management approaches and forward looking political decisions are required in order to face the future challenges.
Regional technical and validation workshop "Guidelines on Practices for sustainable forest management in drylands of Sub-Saharan Africa"
20 January 2010 - 22 January 2010
Senegal, Dakar
Languages: English, French
Attendance type: By invitation
Description: As part of its support to Sub-Saharan countries in their efforts towards sustainable forest management, FAO launched a process for the preparation of “Guidelines on Practices for Sustainable Forest Management in Drylands of Sub-Saharan Africa”. A draft version of the guidelines, developed by an FAO international consultant, was presented and discussed at an experts' workshop held in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) from 3-5 March 2009. FAO, in partnership with the Agence Nationale de la Grande Muraille Verte (Senegal), will organize from 20-22 January 2010 in Dakar (Senegal) a regional workshop with the following objectives: a) Share, finalize and validate the draft version of the Guidelines with partners and stakeholders active in forest management in the arid zones of the Sub-Saharan Africa. The finalized and validated guidelines will then be submitted to the 17th session of the African Forestry and Wildlife Commission in Brazaville from 22-26 February 2010; b) Promote the implementation of the validated guidelines by partners and stakeholders active in forest management, forests related environmental and socio-economic issues in the region, including the Great Green Wall for the Sahara and Sahel Initiative, TerrAfrica, programmes developed and implemented by regional and international bodies, Governmental and non Governmental organizations, research , forestry centres and networks active in the region; c) obtain the required support from funding and cooperation organizations for the effective implementation of the validated guidelines (including European Commission, Bilateral and Multilateral cooperation agencies, UN Agencies and the World Bank).
FAO (FOMD, Mountain Partnership Secretariat) & Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea [
sara.maulo@fao.org]
14 December 2010 10:00
Italy, Rome, FAO, Austria Room, C-237
Languages: English
Meeting type: Formal meeting
Attendance type: By invitation
Description: SWOMM 2010 will analyze in particular the existing link between the environmental impact of transport in fragile mountain ecosystems and the economic and social benefits that transport and other activities can deliver to mountain territories. Experiences from mountain zones worldwide will be presented by a panel of experts in the fields of ecology, transport, economics and social development policies. Proposals for effective policies to manage the delicate interface between transport & the environment will be discussed during the open round table.
19 October 2011 - 22 October 2011
India, Bangalore, Indian Institute of Science, J N Tata Auditorium
Languages: English
Meeting type: Policy dialogue
Attendance type: Open
Description: The overall aim of the conference will be to examine how the production and use of wood products can contribute to sustainable development and how greater demands for sustainability might present new opportunities for development of the wood products sector.
Tentative Programme
The Plenary Session will be presided by the representatives of the member countries of G77 and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The program is as follows:
- Welcome Address by the Director-General of FAO
- Keynote Address by H.E. Pedro Verona Rodrigues Pires, President of the Republic of Cape Verde
- Opening by Co-Chairs:
- H.E. Henri Djombo, Minister for Forestry, Republic of Congo
- H.E. Martins Roze, Minister for Agriculture, Republic of Latvia
- Presentation by the Assistant Director-General, Forestry Department of FAO, on “The impacts of increased energy demands on forests”
- Interventions by Ministers
- Conclusions
- Closure
Objective
Reinforce political commitment and action on:
- the role of forestry for energy production; and
- impacts of energy production on forests.
Background
The rapidly changing global energy situation generates both threats and opportunities for forests. Reactions may differ from country to country, according to conditions:
- As the demand for wood for energy increases, the supply of wood available for other uses might decline, resulting in increased prices for all users of wood.
- Land previously dedicated to food crops might shift to biofuel crops, without impacting forest ecosystems but perhaps impacting food security.
- Agrofuel crops might expand into forests, generating land use conflicts and increasing deforestation, with implications for biological diversity, climate change, and water.
- The production of energy from existing forests might increase, with the need to ensure appropriate management through policies, legislation, and good forest practices.
- Forest plantations might increase to meet the increased demand for energy from wood.
The special event will build on results of discussions held on this issue during the 18th session of the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO-18) in March 2007, at the 15th UN Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD- 15) in May 2007, and at the 5th Ministerial Conference for the Protection of Forests in Europe, held from 5-7 November 2007. A background paper highlighting the social, economic and environmental impacts of the increased energy demands on forests, FAO Conference Document C 2007/Inf 17 - Forests and Energy - is now available under "background document".
Arrangements for the Special Event on Forests and Energy
Participants attending the Special Event are kindly requested to note the following:
Registration and participation:
There will be no separate registration procedures for the Special Event. All members of registered delegations to the Conference or registered visitors to FAO are warmly invited to attend.
Seating:
There will be no pre-defined seating plan. Pre-registered delegates may collect their country or organization plaques on entering the Green Room and choose their own seat.
Interventions:
The order of interventions will be informal and in accordance with requests by show of raised plaques from the floor. However, Ministers in attendance will be invited to speak first followed by requests in the order received by the Co-Chairs. Speakers are asked to limit prepared statements to 5 minutes and where possible to provide the messengers in the Green Room with a copy beforehand.
Documentation:
The Secretariat Note for the Event is C 2007/INF/17 – Forests and Energy (available for downloading on this site under background document). Additional literature will be made available on Tuesday 20th afternoon.
Conclusions:
The Special Event conclusions will be summarized by the Event Co-Chairs and presented to the Plenary Session of the Conference at a date/time to be determined.
More information... last updated: Wednesday, November 21, 2007
