Global Environment Outlook 3 (GEO 3)

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STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND POLICY RETROSPECTIVE: 1972–2002

UNEP, Rick Collins, Topham Picturepoint

Forests

Global overview The unique nature of forest ecosystems has long been acknowledged. Forest ecosystems play multiple roles at global as well as local levels: as providers of environmental services to nature in general — and humans in particular — and as sources of economically valued products (see box). The 1972 Stockholm Conference recognized forests as the largest, most complex and self-perpetuating of all ecosystems, and emphasized the need for sound land and forest use policies, ongoing monitoring of the state of the world’s forests and the introduction of forest management planning. It was recommended that countries should: strengthen basic and applied research for improved forest planning and management, with emphasis on environmental functions of forests; and modernize forest management concepts by including multiple functions and reflecting the cost and benefits of the amenities that forests provide.

cooperation of United Nations bodies to meet the needs for new knowledge to incorporate environmental values in national land use and forest management; and continuing surveillance of the world’s forest cover through the establishment (in countries) of an appropriate monitoring system. Today, the Stockholm Conference recommendations relating to forests remain valid and unfulfilled, in many ways, because of conflicting interests in managing Industrial wood, woodfuel, non-wood forest products such as fibre, food, medicines Soil generation, soil and water conservation, purification of air and water, nutrient recycling, maintenance of biological diversity (habitats, species and genetic resources), mitigation of climate change, carbon sequestration Employment and income, recreation, protection of natural and cultural heritage Forest goods and services

Sources: UNDP, UNEP, World Bank and WRI 2000, FAO 2001a

The Conference also called for: