Marek Belka “Europe moving towards sustainable forest management.
The next challenge will be to develop a consensus on the role of
wood in renewable energy supply”
Geneva, 13 November 2007 -- The ministers responsible for forestry
of 38 countries met at the fifth Ministerial Conference on the Protection
of Forests in Europe (MCPFE) from 5 to 7 November 2007 in Warsaw on the
theme of Forests for Quality of Life. They adopted a Ministerial Declaration
and two Resolutions, containing commitments on promotion of wood as renewable
energy carrier and the role of forest in water protection in the context
of climate change for implementation at a national level.
The Conference had before it the most complete and balanced assessment
ever of the state of Europe’s forests, prepared by the MCPFE Liaison
Unit with UNECE and FAO. The report addresses all criteria of sustainable
forest management, provides relevant information for policymakers and points
to potentially unsustainable situations in some indicators in a few countries.
It concludes “Overall, are European forests sustainably managed?
The answer is a qualified “yes” with caveats in all three areas
of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental”.
The Executive Secretary of UNECE, Marek Belka, addressed the Conference.
He pointed out the need to balance different positions and interests to
find a sustainable solution, rather than imposing a “winner” in
a contest of political strength. He continued “This approach is enabling
the forest sector to move on from the sterile debates of the past to find
practical and consensus based solutions. In this respect, I believe other
sectors have much to learn from the forest sector. The next challenge will
be to develop a rational and sustainable consensus on the role of wood
in renewable energy supply, while respecting the other users of this unique
material.”
Mr. Belka also discussed public perceptions and communication about the
forest sector, saying “it is a sad fact that the public, indeed many
decision makers, have many wrong perceptions of the status and trends of
European forests. An authoritative and clear document like the Warsaw report
can help dispel these misunderstandings.” He welcomed the fact that
MCPFE will cooperate with UNECE, FAO, and the EU in the Pan-European Forest
Week in October 2008, saying that this event will present an excellent
opportunity to demonstrate the cooperation and dynamism of the region’s
forest sector institutions.
Mr. Belka reaffirmed UNECE’s commitment to working with MCPFE,
FAO and other organizations to promote sustainable forest management in
the region.
Further information available from Kit Prins, Chief, UNECE/FAO Timber
Section, Palais des Nations, Geneva (E-mail [email protected],
Telephone +41(0)22 917 2874).
The summary of the Warsaw report can be downloaded from http://www.mcpfe.org/node/135 in
English, French, Russian and Polish. More information about the Conference,
including texts of the Declaration, resolutions and statements is available
at http://www.mcpfe.org and at http://www.iisd.ca/ymb/mcpfe5/5nov.html (for
pictures and summaries of discussions).
Ref: ECE/TIM/07/P07