India participated in the 19th Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) at the UN Headquarters in New York.India highlighted its significant advancements in forest conservation and sustainable forest management, leading to a consistent increase in forest cover over the past fifteen years.
Key Takeaways from UNFF19
- India presented its revised National Forest Policy emphasising forest fire prevention and management through recommendations and technological solutions.
- According to UNFF, about 100 million hectares of forest or 3% of world’s total forest area are affected by fires each year.
- India proposes operationalising the Global Fire Management Hub, a collaborative effort by the UNEP and the FAO to share knowledge and experiences in mitigating forest fires.
- India suggests establishing universally accepted standards like Model Forests Act for forest certification programs for consistent and responsible forest management practices worldwide.
- The forum reviewed the UN’s strategic plan for forests (2017-2030) and progress made in achieving global forest goals like enhancing forests’ economic, social, and environmental benefits and securing finances.
- A UN report highlighted concerns about “Climatisation” of forests, driven by market-oriented approaches for carbon sequestration, reducing forests ecological and social values roles to mere carbon sinks.
- Indonesia presented its Forest and Other Land Use Net Sink 2030 strategy, and Malaysia committed to keeping at least 50% of its territory under tree cover.
India’s Highlighted Initiatives in Forest Management at UNFF19
- India highlighted its success in using technology to manage forest fires.
- Examples include real-time fire monitoring via remote sensing, online fire reporting through web portals, and utilising ecological methods for restoration.
- Based on the forest inventory records, 54.40% of forests in India are exposed to occasional fires, 7.49% to moderately frequent fires and 2.40% to high incidence levels.
- Globally, India ranks third in the net gain of average annual forest area between 2010 and 2020.
- India completed its 50 years of Project Tiger and 30 years of Project Elephant, demonstrating its commitment to species conservation and habitat protection.
- India introduced the ‘Green Credit Program’ to incentivise tree plantation and restoration of degraded forest lands to strengthen climate action initiatives.
- In 2023, India hosted the country-led Initiative under UNFF at Dehradun, attended by representatives from 40 countries and 20 international organisations, focusing on forest fire management and forest certification.
United Nations Forum on Forests
- The UNFF is an intergovernmental policy forum that promotes “management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests.
- UNFF was established in 2000 by the UN Economic and Social Council.
- The Forum has universal membership.
Major Global Forest Related Events
- 1992: UN Conference on Environment and Development adopts the “Forest Principles” and Agenda 21.
- 1995: Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (1995) was established to implement the Forest Principles from 1995 to 2000.
- 2000: UNFF is established as a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council.
- 2006: UNFF agrees on four Global Objectives on Forests.Reverse the loss of forest cover worldwide through sustainable forest management (SFM);Enhance forest-based economic, social and environmentalbenefits;Increase significantly the area of sustainably managed forests;Reverse the decline in official development assistance for SFMMobilise increased financial resources for implementation of SFM.
- 2007: UNFF adopts the UN Non-Legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests (Forest Instrument).
- 2011: The International Year of Forests, “Forests for People”.