Halting deforestation is a critical element in addressing climate change. The way we manage our forests also has a direct impact on the production of our food and food security. The COVID-19 crisis is further increasing pressures on forest resources. Evidence is needed to guide public and individual decisions on addressing these challenges. Two recent flagship reports published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 (FRA) and the State of the World’s Forests (SOFO 2020) present evidence about the state of the world’s forest resources and the policy challenges ahead. Key...

Nearly 20 years have passed since the first time I stepped into a mangrove forest, yet it is still among my fondest memories. I was already captivated by mangrove ecology through my studies; but it was only when my boots first disappeared under the mud, that I was truly hooked. I arrived at Ko Phra Thong in Thailand to take part in a survey of the mangroves on the island and I was so keen to get started that I didn’t even stop to change from shorts to long trousers, or to slap on some mosquito repellent. Well, they had...

In Costa Rica, deforestation peaked in the 1980s; at that point in time the country had one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. However, according to the State of the World's Forests 2016, the country achieved a 54% increase in its forest area thanks to a large national effort, becoming a global example of reforestation success just over 20 years after deforestation peaked. Forest cover has grown thanks to sustainable agricultural practices, reversal of deforestation and multiple forest policies and initiatives. “Forests play a central role in combating and adapting to climate change, says Lucio Santos, Forestry Officer, REDD+/National Forest Monitoring Coordinator...

The Government of Equatorial Guinea, led by the Ministry of Taxes, Economy and Planning (MHEP) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forests and Environment (MAGBOMA), with the technical support of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the financial support of Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI), has officially launched today its REDD+ National Investment Plan (PNI-REDD+), in the framework of the National Plan for Sustainable Development 2035. In his opening speech, the vice Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Forests and Environment, Francisco Engonga Osono highlighted the importance of the PNI-REDD: “Today, we are launching the REDD+ National Investment Plan....

Originally published on El pais: https://elpais.com/elpais/2020/07/20/planeta_futuro/1595242756_644516.html A menudo, los países se ven en una encrucijada en la que son conscientes de que el modelo de desarrollo que han seguido durante años ya no es válido. Son momentos de tomar decisiones difíciles: aunque siempre es tentador buscar los beneficios a corto plazo —sobre todo en contextos de pobreza— las apuestas a largo plazo son las que producen verdaderos cambios a mejor. Guinea Ecuatorial se encuentra hoy en una de esas encrucijadas: tras años de crecimiento económico exponencial ligado a la explotación del petróleo, el país tiene que reorientar su modelo de desarrollo para diversificar...