Four-day event will also be accompanied by release of two reports on global forest sector and mainstreaming biodiversity
Qu stressed the importance of smallholders, local communities and indigenous Peoples, who own or manage nearly 1 billion hectares of the world’s forest and farm land.Photo: FAO Indigenous people must be at the centre of efforts towards sustainable agrifood systems, of which forests and trees are an integral part, stated the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Director-General Qu Dongyu.
He was addressing the 26th Session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO), which began at the FAO’s headquarters in Rome October 3, 2022.
The four-day event has been organised to provide a platform for exchange and dialogue among participants and provide suggestions for FAO’s work in forestry.
Two reports — The Global Forest Sector Outlook 2050: Assessing Future Demand and Sources of Timber for a Sustainable Economy and Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Forestry — will be released in the session.
Qu stressed the importance of smallholders, local communities and indigenous Peoples, who own or manage nearly 1 billion hectares of the world’s forest and farm land.
He also emphasised the importance of using forests and trees sustainably and building green value chains.
“Wood and bushes are a precious renewable resource and an important source of carbon-neutral and even carbon-positive materials. Wild-harvested forest foods improve food security and nutrition of people living nearby and beyond,” Qu said.
Forests cover 31 per cent of the world’s land surface, store an estimated 296 gigatonnes of carbon and are home to most of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity, a press release shared by FAO stated.
They are a source of fibre, fuel, food and fodder, providing livelihoods for millions of people, including many of the world’s poorest.
Forests help mitigate and adapt to climate change and improve soil, air and water quality. If sustainably managed, forests are also a source of renewable raw materials.
It’s time to halt deforestation, plant more trees, make the Earth greener and restore its productive capacities, Qu added. There are only seven more years to reach the 2030 Agenda and the United Nations-mandated Sustainable Development Goals, he reminded.
“Now, we need to implement, scale-up and accelerate action and above all, we need political will and a package of solutions,” he said.
The impacts of the climate crisis and humanitarian emergencies are being felt more than ever around the world. He pointed out the increased frequency and intensity of droughts, floods, fires and storms worldwide.
The world witnessed overlapping crises from the global pandemic, economic downturns and food, feed, fuel and fertiliser price increases, he added. On the other hand, hunger continues to rise, reflecting growing inequalities, said the press release shared by FAO.
“Deforestation and land degradation, together with biodiversity loss, are devastating our ecosystems. This must change and stop,” he said, emphasising the importance of forests.
Halting deforestation, cutting out greenhouse gas emissions by 14 per cent and safeguarding more than half the Earth’s biodiversity were vital in tackling the climate crisis, he added.
“Some 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land can be restored. Increasing tree cover could raise economic sustainability, which is essential to boost productivity to meet growing demands,” he said.
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