Global Forest Resources Assessments

FAO co-hosts workshop in preparation for the second regional report on the state of forests in the Amazon region

26-28 August 2024 - Bogotá,Colombia 

From 26 to 28 August 2024, the first in-person workshop for the definition of variables of the second regional report on the state of forests in the Amazon region was hosted in Bogotá, Colombia. The event was organized by the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Amazonia+ Programme, funded by the European Union.

This workshop marked a crucial step in updating and expanding the information from the first “Regional report on the status of forests in the amazon region”, published by ACTO in 2018. Over the course of three days, experts and technical representatives from seven Amazonian nations  came together to establish the key variables that will constitute the second regional report. Throughout the workshop, participants shared their technical knowledge and experiences, exchanging insights on common technical challenges. The gathering fostered regional cooperation and opened dialogue on forest data quality and availability at both the regional and national levels. 

As a valuable framework for shaping policies and driving actionable steps in conservation efforts at the regional level, the upcoming regional report will be instrumental for the sustainable management of forest resources across the Amazon. It is expected to release in 2025 and will follow the methodology of FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA), but will look deeper into certain topics that have been highlighted in relevant global and regional agreements, such as the Belem Declaration. The assessment is also expected to strengthen the Forest Module within the Amazon Regional Observatory (ORA) of ACTO, ensuring the report’s data are both open and easily accessible. 

This major initiative is part of the broader ACTO Forests Program for the Basin and Amazon Region, approved in 2021, with the backing of Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC) for South-South Cooperation. In this regard, the workshop was endorsed by the Colombian government and integrated into the agenda for the United Nations Biodiversity Conference 2024 (COP16) to address the call to conserve biological diversity, sustainably use its components and equitably share the benefits from using genetic resources.