Forest policies / Cross-Sectoral

The objective of the UNECE/FAO Timber and Forestry programme is to strengthen the forest sector and its contribution to sustainable development throughout the UNECE region. This integrated programme has five work areas, including one on Policy and Cross-Sectoral Issues.

The UNECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section undertakes activities in the field of forest policies and institutions, including monitoring of developments, analysis of trends and capacity building. This work builds on the data collected, analysed and produced by the work areas 1 to 3 (Forest Product Markets, Forest Resources, Outlook),  It also includes broader cross-sectoral work, for example on forest fires and green economy related issues. Policy forums are organised on important topical issues, in cooperation with Forest Europe (the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe) as appropriate. Cross-sectoral activities are continuously being developed, for instance with the UNECE divisions responsible for energy, environment and water. This work area also includes UNECE/FAO's contribution to the global forest dialogue, notably the activities of UNFF and the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO)

Work area 5 comprises the following programme elements:

• Contribution to the global dialogue on forests
• Monitoring recent developments in forest sector policies, legislation and institutions, including national forest programmes
• Analysing developments in forest sector policies, legislation and institutions including interactions with other sectors
• Organizing policy forums on major topical issues
• Implementing sustainable forest management through capacity building for forest policies and institutions
• Exchanging information on improving management of wildland fires
• Improving sectoral and cross-sectoral exchange and communication