FAO has launched a new digital publication, Transparency in practice: Country experiences using Open Foris for climate reporting, which explores how countries are using free and open-source digital solutions to improve forest and land-use data for climate reporting.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), through the FAO elearning Academy, in collaboration with the FAO Regional Office for Africa (RAF) and the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), organized the international technical webinar "Strengthening Academic Collaboration through the FAO elearning Academy."

More than 20 Erasmus Mundus Master’s students in Global Environment and Development (MERGED) visited FAO headquarters on 24 June 2026 for a full day of learning, dialogue and exchange with forestry experts. The visit offered first-hand insight into how forest data, innovation and international cooperation support sustainable forest management around the world.

Transparent and accessible forest data is essential for effective climate action. As countries work to meet their commitments under the Paris Agreement, the need for reliable, open, and user-friendly tools for data collection and analysis continues to grow. 

Nigeria is strengthening its commitment to sustainable forest management and climate transparency by publishing metadata from its National Forest (Carbon) Inventory in the Food and Agriculture Microdata (FAM) Catalogue. This step improves access to national forest data and supports informed decision-making for climate action, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable land management.

Climate transparency is not only about reporting. It helps countries understand where they stand, what is working, what gaps remain and what support is needed to move from plans to action.

This was the focus of the 2026 Global Transparency Community Meetings, held from 14 to 16 April in ...

Transparent and reliable forest data are essential for effective climate action. Yet strengthening national forest monitoring systems and improving reporting under the Paris Agreement requires skilled professionals, informed institutions and accessible learning opportunities. 

Forests are facing increasing pressure from deforestation, land degradation, biodiversity loss and climate change. At the same time, they play a vital role in tackling global challenges-supporting climate resilience and food security to livelihoods and sustainable development. Therefore, strengthening national forest monitoring systems and improving transparency are more important than ever. And looking ahead, the future of forestry will depend on innovation and young people. 

UN Climate Change News, 22 May 2026 – UN Climate Change convened the REDD+ Global Summit 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, from 19 to 21 May 2026, bringing together 97 participants from 59 countries implementing REDD+ activities, alongside partner organizations, donors and other stakeholders.

The ...

At Karatina University in Kenya, innovative educational approaches are helping bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world environmental challenges. Through the integration of FAO elearning Academy resourc...

Across Latin America and the Caribbean, countries are working to strengthen the way forests are measured, monitored and understood. National Forest Inventories (NFIs) play a central role in this effort. They provide the data that governments rely on to track forest change, estimate carbon stoc...

Forest data transparency is not only about collecting data, but also about turning it into information that is understandable and usable. In this context, Guatemala is setting a regional milestone by making the data from its national forest inventory (NFI) publicly available.

The government of Honduras, through the Forest Conservation Institute (ICF), has made the first and

More than 120 government representatives and experts gathered in Naivasha, Kenya, on 14-16 April 2026 for the 2026 Global Transparency Community Meetings. In the peaceful setting of Kenya’s natural landscape, under the theme of Transparency to drive effective implementation of NDC 3.0, the mee...

The Government of Spain, through the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), has taken a further step in its commitment to forest data transparency by making the metadata and associated resources of its National Forest Inventory (NFI) publicly available in the Food and Agriculture Microdata (FAM) Catalogue of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Forests are among the most powerful natural allies in the fight against climate change. They store vast amounts of carbon, support biodiversity, and sustain the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide. Yet to effectively protect and manage forests – and to harness their full potential for climate action – countries need reliable, transparent, and accessible data. Without accurate information on forest resources and their changes over time, it is difficult to track progress toward climate goals, design evidence-based policies, or ensure accountability in forest and land-use management. 

The 2026 Global Transparency Community Meetings will take place on 14–16 April 2026 in Naivasha, Kenya, under the theme Transparency to Drive Effective Implementation of NDC 3.0.

UN Climate Change News, 24 March 2026 – Forests are not only vital ecosystems but also indispensable to economies and industries worldwide. This year’s International Day of Forests highlights the crucial link between forests and economies, underscoring the role forests play ac...

As the UN-REDD Programme enters its 2026–2030 strategic phase, strengthening transparency, integrity, and ambition in forest-based climate action has become more important than ever.

The new strategy emphasizes the importance of robust monitoring systems and reliable data to demonstrate ...