Sustainable Forests

Forests are critical to the socio-economic development of many countries and serve as a key source of energy, an essential natural resource for domestic industry, a driver of employment, and as critical resource for other economic sectors, such as agriculture and tourism. Forests also provide indispensable services, acting as natural shields against disasters, preserving biodiversity, preventing soil erosion, and serving as a sink for carbon dioxide.

The past few years has seen enormous growth in the international trade of forest products, exerting substantial pressure on this resource. Rapid deforestation can lead to degradation of environmental quality and the loss of biodiversity and cultural identity. Given these risks, a key focus of UNEP-ETB's capacity-building activities has been, and will continue to be, supporting the sustainable management of forests.

In pursuing this goal, UNEP-ETB assists developing countries assess the impact of increased trade on their forestry sector. To date, UNEP-ETB has undertaken three country projects in this sector, focusing on identifying and quantifying the environmental impacts of trade liberalization. The studies confirm the need to develop policies that appropriately balance environmental, social and economic considerations in order to maximize the contribution of the forestry sector to sustainable development.