27th Session of the Committee on Forestry

22–26 July 2024 | FAO headquarters | Rome, Italy

The 27th Session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO 27) took place from 22–26 July 2024 at FAO headquarters in Rome, bringing together over 1 000 delegates from 108 Member Nations, ministers, UN agencies and civil society organizations.

Concurrently, the ninth World Forest Week (WFW) featured high-level dialogues, exhibitions and youth engagement under the theme “Accelerating Forest Solutions through Innovation.” Both COFO and the events throughout World Forest Week served to strengthen global collaboration for inclusive, resilient and sustainable forest-based solutions.

About COFO 27
9th World Forest Week

The main achievements of COFO 27 can be found in the session report, which endorsed the FAO Forestry Roadmap 2024‑2031 and updated priorities for FAO’s forestry work and approved the Multi-year Programme of Work for 2024-2027.

COFO also hosted the launch of the flagship report The State of the World’s Forests 2024, presenting extensive data on global forest resources and on humans’ interaction with them, and serving as a core knowledge product informing global forest processes.

World Forest Week hosted engaging dialogues on forest innovation and agroforestry, the celebration of the CPF Wangari Maathai Forest Champion Nida Collado, and the inaugural FAO Green Cities Initiative Awards which were awarded to the cities Mendoza and Newcastle.

The week emphasized the importance of youth empowerment and intergenerational dialogue in advancing forest-sector innovation and sustainability.

Full programme of events

Daily coverage, highlights and photos

From the IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin

Photo gallery

Events and activities from the Committee on Forestry and World Forest Week

9th World Forest Week 22–26 July 2024

News

Young professionals share innovative solutions at World Forest Week

26/07/2024

Young forestry professionals shared their experiences and innovative solutions with senior leaders from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations today at a 9th World Forest Week event designed to highlight the significant contributions of young professionals in the forestry sector.

Planting a mangrove seedling, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania ©FAO-Luis Tato

New manual aims to improve accuracy of mangrove monitoring

26/07/2024

A new manual, produced by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and The Nature Conservancy, aims to help governments to gather far more accurate information on mangroves to better inform decisions on coastal land use and restoration.

COFO 27 Plenary Photo credit Giulio Napolitano

FAO Forestry Roadmap seeks innovative solutions to global challenges

26/07/2024

A new roadmap guiding the work of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on forests was endorsed on Wednesday by members at the 27th Session of the Committee on Forestry in Rome.

FAO launches updated guidelines to tackle extreme wildfires

26/07/2024

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has released guidelines for countries outlining how to manage the risks of damaging wildfires, which can threaten people and the environment.

Mendoza and Newcastle receive FAO Green Cities Initiative Awards

26/07/2024

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations today presented Mendoza in Argentina and Newcastle in the United Kingdom with its first-ever Green Cities Initiative Awards during a special event for its Green Cities Initiative.

Restoration key to healthy Mediterranean forests

25/07/2024

FAO has published a special issue of its Unasylva journal on the restoration of Mediterranean forests, which are increasingly threatened by the impacts of climate change and human activity.

IUCN and FAO sign joint agreement to facilitate data sharing to reach GBF Target 2

24/07/2024

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations today signed a new partnership agreement aimed at streamlining ecosystem restoration reporting as part of Target 2 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

FAO and IUFRO mark 75th anniversary of collaboration on forests

22/07/2024

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations today marked the 75th anniversary of their collaboration for the benefit of forests and people worldwide.

State of the World’s Forests 2024 Shutterstock

Forests face increasing climate stress amid growing demand for their products, FAO report warns

22/07/2024

Climate change is increasing the susceptibility of the world's forests to stressors such as wildfires and pests, according to a new flagship publication by FAO that emphasizes the role of innovation in achieving a sustainable future for the forestry sector.

Opinion editorial: Technology brings SDG goals closer

22/07/2024

If we want to reach our Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, we must continue to invest in forestry innovation. This is key to sustainably managing forests, mitigating and adapting to climate change, and improving livelihoods.

Committee on Forestry: High-level forestry talks aim to unlock natural solutions

18/07/2024

The 27th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO 27) and 9th World Forest Week will bring forestry policymakers and experts from over 90 countries together in Rome from 22-26 July to drive forward the global agenda on forests.