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Global Forest Resources Assessments

Branching out
Connecting global forest and climate data
02/02/2026
In a rapidly changing climate, forests are indispensable for our planet's future.
Forests absorb and store vast amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Forests play a crucial role in regulating both local and global climate patterns.
Forests strengthen resilience against climate-related hazards.
Forests sustain biodiversity that is crucial for maintaining ecological balance.
Forests are a source of livelihood for billions of people globally.

Every hectare counts

As forests face unprecedented threats, data becomes a powerful tool for their sustainable management. Forest data are key to unlocking effective climate action. They provide crucial insights into our planet's most vital ecosystems.

The data challenge

How do we gain a deeper understanding of our planet’s global forest ecosystems? International reporting plays a crucial role in gathering comprehensive data on global forest resources and climate action. Two complementary international reporting processes work together to provide the complete picture we need. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nation’s (FAO) Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) are key to ensuring transparency in forest data and climate action, helping to track countries’ progress towards their commitments under the Paris Agreement.

FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA)

As the world's most comprehensive repository of forest data, FRA:

  • is conducted by FAO every five years;
  • provides a consistent methodology to assess global forests and their changes;
  • features an open-access, multilingual online platform; and
  • has utilized a dynamic digital platform for reporting since 2020.

UNFCCC’s Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs)

As the Paris Agreement's mechanism for tracking climate commitments, BTRs:

  • are part of the Enhanced Transparency Framework (EFT);
  • track countries’ greenhouse gas emissions and progress of climate actions;
  • include forest data as a crucial component of these reports; and
  • require countries to submit their first reports by December 2024.

The forest-climate connection

Forests and climate action are intrinsically linked, and FAO’s FRA and the BTR’s complement each other in several key ways. The future of integrated forest and climate reporting is not just about more reliable data. It is about making better policy decisions, fostering healthier forest ecosystems and enhancing adaptation to future climate challenges.

Key connections:
Data consistency

FRA provides standardized forest information that countries can directly incorporate into their BTRs, ensuring consistency across international reporting.

Capacity enhancement

Both processes strengthen countries' capacities to monitor and report on forest resources and climate actions.

Contextual understanding

While FRA focuses on forest resources, BTRs provide essential context on how these resources contribute to climate goals.

With these synergies established, we can more effectively understand the critical role forests play in addressing climate change and advancing sustainable development.

From information to insight

FRA information directly supports BTR reporting through:

  • forest area changes by tracking progress on deforestation and afforestation;
  • carbon stock measurements, essential for greenhouse gas inventories;
  • sustainable management practices by supporting climate mitigation and adaptation; and
  • governance frameworks by underpinning effective climate policies, including REDD+ strategies and sustainable forest management practices.

Practical applications

When forest and climate data systems work together, the benefits are clear.
For communities

  • Empowered participation: Indigenous Peoples gain access to better information.
  • Transparent governance: Open data promotes stakeholder engagement.
  • Resource protection: Better data leads to more effective conservation strategies.

For countries

  • Reduced reporting burden: Countries can prepare data once and report twice.
  • Enhanced data quality: Consistent methodologies lead to more reliable assessments.
  • Strategic planning: Integrated data enables more effective land-use and climate planning.
  • Reference levels: These serve as benchmarks for assessing the performance of REDD+ activities.
  • Adaptation measures: Details on how forests are used to enhance climate resilience.

For climate finance

  • Investment attraction: Comprehensive data helps secure funding for forest projects.
  • Impact verification: Reliable measurements demonstrate project effectiveness.
  • Strategy development: Evidence-based approaches strengthen climate commitments.

For the incorporation of FRA indicators into BTRs:

  • National forest inventory data provides information on forest area, types and changes over time.
  • Emissions and removals data clarifies greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation as well as removals.
  • Forest reference levels are benchmarks for assessing the performance of REDD+ activities.
  • Policies and management provide information on forest-related climate actions, including REDD+ strategies and sustainable forest management practices.
  • Adaptation measures offer details how forests are being used to enhance climate resilience.

Challenges and opportunities

While significant progress has been made, challenges still remain.
Current challenges include:

  • technical capacity gaps in some countries;
  • methodological differences between reporting systems; and
  • data accessibility issues in remote forest regions.

Emerging opportunities include:

  • digital innovation in remote sensing and data collection;
  • cross-sector collaboration between forest and climate teams; and
  • knowledge sharing platforms and communities of practice.

The path forward

The future of integrated forest and climate reporting offers tremendous potential:

  • Enhanced decision-making: Access to better data leads to more informed and effective policies.
  • Climate resilience: Forests that are managed with comprehensive information are better equipped to adapt to climate change.
  • Global cooperation: Standardized reporting helps strengthen international climate action.

Learn more

To learn more about synergies between the Global Forest Resources Assessment and Biennial Transparency Reports, take a look at our linked publication and video.

Branching out: Synergies in forest assessments and climate transparency reporting

Read this technical brief for a deeper understanding of how aligning FAO’s FRA with the UNFCCC’s BTRs can streamline forest and climate reporting, reduce national burdens and strengthen climate action.

From insights to action: Connecting global forest and climate data

Watch this short animated video for an accessible overview of how forest and climate reporting can come together to help countries make more informed choices for people, forests and the climate.

 

This web story was developed by FAO's Global Forest Resources Assessment team under the project of “Building global capacity to increase transparency in the forest sector (CBIT-Forest): accelerating capacity-building, knowledge-sharing and awareness raising”, to highlight the critical connections between forest data and climate action reporting in UNFCCC Biennial Transparency Reports. 

For more information, visit https://www.fao.org/in-action/boosting-transparency-forest-data/en/