Climate Action 2011-2012

international Year of Forests
climate Policy, governance & Finance
© Ian Redmond
Forests harbour an estimated two-thirds of all terrestrial species.
Celebrating the
2011 International
Year of Forests
By Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary, Convention on
Biological Diversity
Forests provide us with an array of biological goods and
ecosystem services. However, humans are putting so much
pressure on forest systems that their ability to sustain us
is in serious jeopardy. The loss of forests is particularly
worrying since forest ecosystems are an integral part of
climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Hence, the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity adopted at the
Nagoya Biodiversity Summit in 2010 includes several key
targets related to forests. The International Year of Forests
has been an important opportunity to lay the groundwork
for achieving these targets, but there is still much work to
be done beyond 2011.
A vAluAble but dwindling
resource
The forests of the world are vast, with thirty percent of the
world’s land area being forest cover. These forests include
not only the expansive tropical forests in Brazil, the heart
of Borneo, and the Congo, but also the massive boreal
ecosystems of Canada and Russia, as well as numerous
dry forests and mangrove forests around the world.
Importantly, forests are particularly rich in biodiversity.
They harbour an estimated two-thirds of all terrestrial
species, as well as a wide array of ecological processes.
Tropical forests, in particular, are among the most
biologically diverse ecosystems on earth.
They harbour an estimated
two-thirds of all terrestrial
species, as well as a wide array
of ecological processes.
These forests support communities around the globe.
They are estimated to be home to 300 million people with
over five times that number – 1.6 billion people – relying
on them for their livelihoods. Raw timber products around
the globe are worth around US$250 billion dollars, with the
added economic value being significantly greater.
In addition, forests are the source of food and medicinal
ingredients that make the difference between poverty and
well-being for three quarters of the populations of some
developing countries. They provide essential environmental
services such as conserving soils, ensuring adequate water
supply, and regulating the climate. And, in particularly arid
parts of the world, forests are crucial sources of sustenance
during dry periods.
31 climateactionprogramme.org