News: India actively participated in the 20th Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF20), held at the UN Headquarters in New York from May 5 to 9, 2025. United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF).
About the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF)
- The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) is a functional commission under the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
- It was established in 2000 with the objective of promoting the management, conservation, and sustainable development of all types of forests.
- The UNFF Secretariat is based at the UN Headquarters in New York, and it collaborates closely with major forest-related organizations through the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), which includes institutions such as FAO, UNEP, UNDP, and the World Bank.
- The Forum serves as a global policy platform for intergovernmental dialogue and cooperation on forest-related issues, engaging governments, international organizations, civil society, and other stakeholders.
- The key functions of the UNFF include:
- Promoting the implementation of internationally agreed goals on forests.
- Strengthening long-term political commitment to sustainable forest management (SFM).
- Facilitating the exchange of experiences, best practices, and policy coordination among countries.
- Supporting the implementation of the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017–2030, which outlines six Global Forest Goals and 26 associated targets to be achieved by 2030.
- Membership: It has a universal membership encompassing all Member States of the United Nations.
- The Forum convenes annual sessions and periodically conducts Country-Led Initiatives (CLIs) to foster focused discussions on thematic priorities such as forest financing, fire management, certification, and ecosystem services.
