The forest sector generates jobs for at least 33 million people, and forest products are used by billions. It is estimated that more than half the world’s economic production [i.e. GDP] depends on ecosystem services, including those provided by forests.

Focused on the role of forests in progressing towards sustainable growth and decent work (SDG 8) and securing life on land (SDG 15), the event will present recent evidence on forest socioeconomic contributions, and discuss how global megatrends such as climate change and demographic shifts will affect work in forestry.

Organized by FAO in collaboration with the International Labour Organization and UNECE, the panelists will present and discuss forest contributions to value-added and employment in national economies, as well as the global estimations on formal and informal employment in forestry, published in the State of the World’s Forests (SOFO) 2022. The event will also present and discuss new skills required in an emerging forest sector and the impacts of changes in the world of work to occupational safety and health in the future of forestry work, as highlighted in an upcoming publication by FAO, ILO and UNECE.