Sustainable Wood for a Sustainable World
Sustainable Wood for a Sustainable World (SW4SW) promotes sustainable wood products and their value chains by advancing nature-based solutions to tackle the climate emergency and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. A joint initiative of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), SW4SW works with governments, private sector, civil society, and academia in developing and strengthening sustainable wood value chains to further generate social, economic and environmental benefits throughout production and consumption.
Established in 2018, SW4SW is led by FAO and co-led by the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) working together with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES-Secretariat), the World Bank and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO).
- Benefits from sustainable wood products and their value chains are fully recognized in international policy dialogues, sustainable development and climate change strategies and national policy frameworks.
- Capacity to manage forests for sustainable wood production in the context of sustainable land management is developed at all levels.
- Markets and finance for sustainable wood value chains and sustainable wood products are broadened.
- Sustainable wood value chains and contributions of sustainable wood products to the bioeconomy and circularity approach are strengthened in both developed and developing countries.
SW4SW directly contributes to the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals 1, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15 and 17, the Global Forest Goals of the UN Strategic Plan on Forests, and the agreements under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Despite these positive impacts, sustainable production and consumption of wood products have received little attention on the international development agenda, partly due to persistent unsustainable practices. This has contributed to low levels of finance and poor marketing for sustainable wood value chains. It is therefore crucial to increase the visibility of the benefits of sustainable wood production and consumption, shifting mindsets to encourage a more positive and responsive attitude to develop and strengthen sustainable wood value chains.
Joint efforts are essential to improve understanding of (i) what sustainable wood value chains entail; (ii) where they can be found, created or strengthened; (iii) what business models are associated with them; and (iv) how they can better contribute to achieving development goals at different levels.
SW4SW encourages the due consideration of wood as sustainable material to drive the achievement of improved forest management, enhanced livelihoods, and climate-resilient societies. The initiative aims to improve decision making, catalyze investments, and disseminate vital innovation to include sustainable wood production and use in strategies and action plans to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, Global Forest Goals, the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, UN Decade of Family Farming, Green Cities, and climate change objectives.
Which groups does it target?
The initiative targets primary wood value chain stakeholders (including producer associations), industry associations, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), policymakers, governments, the financial sector, non-forest sectors, consumers, multilateral mechanisms and opinion shapers.
What is the approach?
As an umbrella initiative, SW4SW relies on the collaborative activities of its partner organizations (and a broad range of stakeholders along the value chains) to improve decision-making in public and private sectors. It catalyzes action through engagement with relevant stakeholders in policy dialogues, investment forums and value chain assessments while raising awareness through activities which deliver priority roadmaps and create momentum. SW4SW supports the development of policy and legal frameworks, institutional arrangements, knowledge generation and dissemination, market solutions and resource mobilization, including through the promotion of positive linkages with other environmental and socioeconomic interventions.
Related links
- XV World Forestry Congress Ministerial forum on sustainable wood
- International Commission on Poplars and Other Fast-Growing Trees Sustaining People and the Environment
- Collaborative Partnership on Forests
- Advisory Committee on Sustainable Forest-based Industries
- Wood for Globe project
Events
11/ 3
2025
From policy to practice: scaling up sustainable forest-based bioeconomy approaches
Virtual Event, 11/03/2025
The inaugural webinar in a new global webinar series aims to set the stage and take stock of policy frameworks for scaling up sustainable forest-based bioeconomy approaches.
20/ 11
2024
Collaborative Partnership on Forests Sustainable Forest-based Bioeconomy Day at COP29
Baku (Azerbaijan), Hybrid Event, 20/11/2024
Supporting a sustainable forest-based bioeconomy by strengthening collaboration on sustainable wood-based value chains, encouraging greater use of long-lived harvested wood products, enhancing forest product data transparency and capacity for carbon accounting.
22/ 10
2024
Fast-growing trees to advance wood in the bioeconomy in Africa
Bordeaux (France), 22/10/2024
A side event to the 27th Session of the International Commission on Poplars and Other Fast-Growing Trees Sustaining People and the Environment (IPC).
19/ 7
2024
WOOD for GLOBE: Leading pathways to carbon neutrality and resilience
Rome (Italy), Hybrid Event, 19/07/2024
Pre-World Forest Week high-level dialogue to review progress on implementation of the sustainable wood pathways identified in the Ministerial Call on Sustainable Wood launched in 2022 at the
25/ 3
2024
Global policy dialogue: Advancing sustainable wood policy and science for carbon-neutral and resilient economies
Rome (Italy), Hybrid Event, 25/03/2024
An initiative of the WOOD for GLOBE Project and the joint initiative of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), Sustainable Wood for a Sustainable World (SW4SW).
News
Grow the Solution initiative aims to promote wood-based products for climate
06/05/2024
FAO and EU launch 15 million euro project to boost sustainability of Uganda’s forestry sector
10/04/2024
Planted forests key to achieving global goals – FAO journal
10/11/2023
Publications
Unasylva 254: Towards more resilient and diverse planted forests
2023
This Unasylva presents novel findings and state-of-the-art information on planted forests. These forests support livelihoods - including through timber...
Guide to multiple-use forest management planning for small and medium forest enterprises
2023
This publication offers step-by-step guidance for planning how to take care of and use forests sustainably to meet specific environmental, economic,...
OECD-FAO business handbook on deforestation and due diligence in agricultural supply chains
2023
This brochure was developed by OECD and FAO to help companies embed considerations on deforestation and forest degradation into their corporate due...
OECD-FAO business handbook on deforestation and due diligence in agricultural supply chains
2023
This handbook was developed by OECD and FAO to help companies embed considerations on deforestation and forest degradation into their corporate due...
Global forest sector outlook 2050: Assessing future demand and sources of timber for a sustainable economy
2022
Jointly produced by FAO, the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) and the consultancy Unique land use GmbH, the report combines the results...
Unlocking the potential of community timber
2021
Growing international and domestic demand for tropical timber has resulted in critical wood supply gaps for many tropical timber-producing countries,...
Assessment of the Ugandan commercial timber plantation resource and markets for its products
2021
Forests are critical resources in Uganda, providing numerous benefits, including the most common forms of energy; charcoal and firewood. The current...
Impacts of COVID-19 on wood value chains and forest sector response
2020
This policy brief summarizes the findings from a global survey on the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak on wood value chains and recovery...