United Nations Forum on Forests

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United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)

The UNFF is a global, high-level policy forum for all United Nations member states and many observers. It brings together the UNFF Secretariat, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, regional groups, and major stakeholders to discuss forests and their sustainable management.

A brief history
- 1992: The Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro produced the Forest Principles and Agenda 21, including a focus on stopping deforestation.
- The UN created the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF) and its successor, the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF), to apply those ideas. Between 1995 and 2000, IPF/IFF developed about 270 proposals for action on forests.
- 2000: The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) established the UNFF to promote sustainable forest management and strengthen political commitment.

Global Forest Goals (2017–2030)
The UNFF works with six goals and 26 targets to be achieved by 2030. They are voluntary and universal:
- Goal 1: Reverse the loss of forest cover through sustainable management, restoration, afforestation and reforestation, prevent degradation, and address climate change.
- Goal 2: Increase benefits from forests for economies, people, and the environment; improve livelihoods of forest-dependent communities.
- Goal 3: Expand protected forests and sustainably managed areas; increase use of forest products from sustainable sources.
- Goal 4: Mobilize more funding for sustainable forest management; strengthen science, technology, and partnerships.
- Goal 5: Improve governance and implement sustainable forest management, including through the United Nations forest instrument; support the 2030 Agenda.
- Goal 6: Enhance cooperation and coordination on forest issues within the UN system and with partners.

Key instruments
- 2007 Non-Legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests (adopted by the UN General Assembly).
- 2015: Renamed as the United Nations Forest Instrument; its content stayed the same, with objectives extended to 2030.

Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF)
- A group of 15 forest-related organizations created in 2001 to support UNFF and improve cooperation.
- In 2012, the CPF launched the Wangari Maathai Forest Champion Award to honor Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai.

Current details
- Headquarters: New York, United States
- Status: Active
- Chair: Kitty Sweeb
- UNFF Secretariat Director: Juliette Biao Koudenoukpo
- Website: un.org