UN observes “International Day of Forests”

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The United Nations observes March 21 as the International Day of Forests.

About International Day of Forests:

• The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed March 21 as the International Day of Forests (IDF) in 2012.
• Aim: The day celebrates and raises awareness about the importance of all types of forests.
• Celebrated by: The United Nations Forum on Forests and the Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) celebrates the day. The celebrations happen in collaboration with governments, Collaborative Partnership on Forests(CPF), and other relevant organisations in the field.
• On this day, the UN encourages the countries to undertake local, national, and international activities for forests and trees. For example tree-planting campaigns.
• The theme for 2021: “Forest restoration: a path to recovery and well-being”.

Forest cover in India

• Since Independence, one-fifth of India’s land has consistently been under forests. This is significant as the population increased more than three times at the same time.
• According to the biennial State of Forest Report,2019, India’s forest cover increased by 3,976 Sq. km or 0.56% since 2017.
• In 2017, the tree and forest cover together made up 24.39%. At present, it is raised to 25.56% of India’s area.
• The top three states showing an increase in forest cover are Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala.
• However, the sharpest decline in forest cover was seen in the northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Mizoram.

Click Here to Read more about State of Forest Report 2019

About United Nations Forum on Forests:

• Established by: Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC).
• Objective: To promote the management, conservation, and sustainable development of all types of forests. Further, It aims to strengthen long-term political commitment to this end.
• Membership: The Forum has universal membership, and is composed of all Member States of the United Nations and specialized agencies.
• Headquarters: New York, United States.

About Collaborative Partnership on Forests(CPF):

• It is an informal, voluntary arrangement among 15 international organizations and secretariats. These organizations run substantial programs on forests.
• Purpose: The mission of the CPF is to help enhance the contribution of all types of forests and trees outside forests. It aims to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other internationally agreed development goals.

Source: Indian Express