Committee on Forestry
The Committee on Forestry (COFO) is the highest FAO Forestry statutory body. The biennial sessions of COFO (held at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy) bring together heads of forest services and other senior government officials to identify emerging policy and technical issues, to seek solutions and to advise FAO and others on appropriate action. Other international organizations and, increasingly, non-governmental groups participate in COFO. Participation in COFO is open to all FAO member countries.
16-20 July 2018, FAO headquarters, Rome, Italy
Forests and the Sustainable Development Goals – from aspiration to action
The 24th session of COFO and the 6th World Forest Week will explore the contributions that forests can make to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Committee will examine what contributions forests can make to achieving the SDGs and other internationally agreed goals; explore ways and means to accelerate progress, in particular, towards Goal 15; discuss actions for implementing the policy recommendations of the Committee on World Food Security regarding the contributions of forests to food security and nutrition; review opportunities and challenges for urban and peri-urban forestry; consider the implementation of FAO’s climate change strategy and specific tasks related to forest resilience, health and forest fires; and provide strategic direction for the future work of FAO in forestry.
The collaboration of the FAO Technical Committees will also continue and will focus on the SDGs, climate change and food security. The forthcoming sessions of COFO and the other technical committees will provide vital opportunities to strengthen policy and programme coordination and to contribute to greater synergies at the organizational level.
World Forest Week 6
For the sixth time, COFO will be held in conjunction with the World Forest Week - a series of meetings and events sponsored by FAO and its partner organizations and institutions. The World Forest Week is an opportunity for sharing state-of-the-art knowledge and major accomplishments and achievements.
Joining COFO
Membership in the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO) is open to all FAO Member Nations which inform the Director-General of their desire to become a member and of their intention to participate in the work of the Committee.
FAO member countries who have not yet submitted their COFO membership notification form are encouraged to do so. Click here to access the form.