http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/press_timber.xml Recent update en-us copyright 2013-06-19T14:11:33+01:00 unece.org RSS FEED http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=32921 Russia has more than a fifth of the worlds forests which makes it the largest forest country in the world However the considerable potential of Russian forests is underutilized and Russias share of the global trade in forest products is less than four percent Referring to ongoing consultations on a revised forest policy for the Russian Federation Mr Vladimir Lebedev Deputy... http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=32921 http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=32788 It’s nothing less than astounding to see the many ways that wood is being used today Who would imagine that wood products are used in things like beauty products gels for back pain hip replacement material and spacecraft A group of experts gathered on 22 April in Geneva to discuss innovation in the forestbased sector and to showcase success stories The forest sector is expected to play a leading role in the transition towards a green economy The seminar was hosted by the Genevabased UNECEFAO Forestry and Timber Section in collaboration with InnovaWood Bioproducts and biochemicals are the exciting woodbased products of the future They’re already finding a distinct and profi... http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=32788 http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=32790 Overall wood energy accounts for 34 of the total primary energy supply and 389 of the renewable energy supply in 27 UNECE member countries1 in 2011 confirming its role as the leading source of renewable energy And around 40 of all mobilized woody bioma... http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=32790 http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=32718 As part of the review of its work the Economic Commission for Europe has changed the name of the Timber Committee to “Committee on Forest and Forest Industry” in order to better reflect the Committee’s current focus and tasks Through a joint programme with the European Forestry Commission of the Food and Agriculture Organization the Committee covers a range of forestrelated subjects in particular on the interface between forest m... http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=32718 http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=32311 2013 is a special year for forests with many activities and initiatives underway to recognize and strengthen the important role forests play in our lives The 21st of March will mark the first ever official International Day of Forests and the Tree as declared in November 2012 by the General Assembly of the United Nations 2013 will also mark several achievements for forests and the forest sector including ... http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=32311 http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=31600 The European Forest Week (913 December 2013) will be celebrated with events in Rovaniemi Finland at Metsä2013 (joint meeting of the UNECE Timber Committee and the FAO European Forestry Commission) and throughout Europe via a variety of events The week will highlight the contribution of forests and forest products to a green economy It will provide a unique communication and outreach opportunity to raise the visibility of the forest sec... http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=31600 http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=31273 The trends towards creating a sustainable economy represent a bright spot for the future of forests The trends towards increased use of wood for construction and other uses of wood through innovation of new and improved products the potential of wood energy the sustainability of wood and its low carbon footprint are causes for optimism However current market conditions remain challenging as the UNECE region emerges from the global economic crisis Annual Market Discussions At the annual Market Discussions during the annual meeting of the UNECE Timber Committee in Geneva on 16 and 17 October national delegations forecast for 2012 a decline in regional forest product markets particularly in Europe with a slight uptick for 2013 for each of the three subregions (Europe Commonwealth of Independent States and North America) Other issues of importance discussed during the Committee included how the EU Timber Regulation will help in assuring the legality and sustainability of forest products along with the United States Lacey Act However concerns exist over the cost implications and the regulatory burden China is playing an important role for the UNECE region’s exports (for example Canada is the largest supplier of sawn softwood to China accounting for 44 market share of Chinese sawn softwood imports in the first eight months of 2012) There are however mixed signals as to whether this trend will continue or has already peaked The Committee’s officially adopted Market Statement summarizes the latest market information on forest products market developments along with detailed forecasts of production and trade for over 30 countries in the UNECE region in 2012 and 2013 Trends in 2011 and early 2012 are discussed and described in detail in the UNECEFAO Forest Products Annual Market Review For additional information please visit httpwwwuneceorgindexphpid30891 Action Plan for the forest sector in a green economy The Committee further reviewed the progress made in relation to the Action Plan which was initiated in May 2011 under the auspices of UNECE and FAO It was reiterated that the forest sector in the UNECE region has the potential to make the greatest possible contribution to the emerging green economy by improving human wellbeing and social equity while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities The Action Plan which was developed as part of an open consultation with member States and stakeholders addresses the forest sector in the entire UNECE region It stresses the leading role of the sector globally in the emerging green economy It will be further reviewed on two occasions before being presented for endorsement at the next Joint ECEFAO Committee and Commission session (Metsä2013) At the session the Committee also highlighted the main outcomes of the Lviv Forum on Forests in a Green Economy The Forum took place from 11 to 14 September 2012 in Ukraine as a major contribution to raising awareness and promoting the concept of the green economy in the forest sector in Eastern Europe and North and Central Asia European Forest Week Drawing on the success of the International Year of Forests 2011 the Committee has agreed to organize the second European Forest Week in Rovaniemi Finland in 2013 in parallel to the joint session of the Committee and the Commission The event will be called Metsä2013 (Metsä stands for forest in Finnish) The theme of the week will focus on the contribution of forests to a green economy It will help illustrate that European forests while maintaining a healthy environment and conserving biodiversity are a sustainable source of products and essential services including ecosystem services which support the economy through generating wealth and income New programme of work Finally the Committee approved the draft programme of work for 20142017 which overall goal is to sustainably manage and use the forests in the region so that they provide products and ecosystem services to benefit society The draft programme is composed of four work areas (data monitoring and assessment policy dialogue and advice communication and outreach and capacity building) and will be refined in the course of 2013 prior to being endorsed at Metsä2013 Additional information is available on the Timber Committee website at wwwuneceorgtimber The complete Market Statement as approved by the Timber Committee is available at httpwwwuneceorgfileadminDAMtimbermeetings20121015TC2012marketstatementfinalapprovedpdf Click the Graph and ... http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=31273 http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=31193 A green economy must be based on natural environmentally sound and sustainable materials and goods For this wood is surely the ideal candidate It’s a renewable material and products made from it store carbon Through forest products forests as well as sequestering carbon also play a crucial role in storing carbon and in replacing fossil fuel concrete and steel which have higher carbon emissions and a significantly larger ecological footprint The general public most policymakers a... http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=31193 http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=30891 With the general malaise in the European and North American economy forestproducts manufacturers have been on the lookout for sales opportunities further afield Today Asia has become a major market for products from the UNECE region—China being the largest importer China’s needs are driven both by internal demand and by remanufacture for export back to the UNECE region ... http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=30891 http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=30235 An event organized by UNECE in cooperation with FAO WHAT IS YOUR PRIORITY ACTION FOR THE FOREST SECTOR TO SHOW THE WAY TOWARDS A GREEN ECONOMY was held today in Rio de Janeiro to discuss priority actions for the forest sector in a green economy In his opening statement Mr Sven Alkalaj UNECE Executive Secretary said that UNECE and FAO have been working together for the last year and a half to prepare an Action Plan for the Forest Sector in a Green Econo... http://www.unece.org/index.php?id=30235