Saving world's green cover
Economic meltdown and climate change have raised the profile of forest management on the global agenda, notes FAO’s State of the World's Forests 2009. Highlighting the opportunities stemming from the current crisis, the report calls for increased investment in green development.
State of the World's Forests 2009
Publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization
The world has lost more than 70 million hectares of forests between 1990 and 2005. What will be the impact on forests of future economic development, globalised trade and increases in the world's population?
- Cover page of the report/ Photo credit: FAO
With the theme "Society, forests and forestry: adapting for the future", the report provides a global view on major developments affecting forests.
It further finds that energy and climate change policies are increasing the use of wood as a source of energy, although this trend may be affected by the recent economic turmoil, which may lead some governments to dilute previously ambitious green goals or defer policy decisions related to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
However, the report highlights that the crisis also provides opportunities, as attention increases on “green development,” including planting trees, increasing investments in sustainable forest management, and promoting wood in green building practices and renewable energy. The report also underscores the need to reform forestry institutions and increase investments in science and technology to improve forest management.
Part 1 summarises the outlook for forests and forestry in each region, based on FAO's periodic regional forest sector outlook studies. Past trends and projected demographic, economic, institutional and technological changes are examined to outline the scenario to 2030.
Part 2 considers how forestry will have to adapt for the future, focusing on: the global outlook for wood products demand; mechanisms for meeting the demand for environmental services of forests; changes in forest sector institutions; and developments in science and technology.
Calling for more concentrated efforts to address imbalances in scientific and technological capacity, this volume will serve as a source of information to support forest-related policy and research. It is hoped that it will also stimulate creative thinking and debate to enhance the future of the world's forests.
