Chitral Times Report
Islamabad: Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Mushahidullah Khan will arrive in New York tomorrow to represent Pakistan at 13th Session of United Nations Forums on Forests 7th to 11th May,2018. The delegation includes Inspector General Forests Syed Mehmood Nasir and Muhammad Fayyaz Director to Minister. The forum will discuss implementation of United Nations Strategic plan for forests 2017-2030. Federal Minister for Climate Change Senator Mushahidullah Khan said before his departure that Pakistan is far behind to achieve set target of United Nations for a country to have forest cover .There are several challenges which needs to be tackled to have required forest area in Pakistan .This forum will provide an opportunity to highlight issues faced in developing countries to increase forest area and get international support for sustainable management of forests. In 1992, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, (“Earth Summit”) held in Rio de Janeiro, adopted the Non-legally Binding Authoritative Statement of Principles for a Global Consensus on the Management, Conservation and Sustainable Development of All Types of Forests (Forest Principles) together with Agenda 21, which included a chapter (Chapter 11) on “Combating Deforestation”. Following the Earth Summit, the UN established the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF) and its successor, the Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF), to implement the Forest Principles and Chapter 11 of Agenda 21. From 1995 to 2000, the IPF/IFF processes dealt with such issues as underlying causes of deforestation; traditional forest-related knowledge; international cooperation in financial assistance and technology transfer; development of criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management; and trade and environment. The IPF/IFF processes resulted in a set of 270 proposals for action for the promotion of the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests. In 2000, the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) established the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) with the main objective to promote “… the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forests and to strengthen long-term political commitment to this end…” based on the Rio Declaration, the Forest Principles, Chapter 11 of Agenda 21 and the outcome of the IPF/IFF Processes and other key milestones of international forest policy. The main objectives of forums are to facilitate implementation of forest-related agreements and foster a common understanding on sustainable forest management. To provide for continued policy development and dialogue among Governments, international organizations, including major groups, as identified in agenda 21as well as to address forest issues and emerging areas of concern in a holistic, comprehensive and integrated manner .The objectives also includes to enhance cooperation as well as policy and programme coordination on forest-related issues and to foster international cooperation. The monitoring, assessment and reporting on progress of the above functions and objectives also comes under the umbrella of its objectives. It further includes strengthening political commitment to the management, conservation and sustainable management of all types of forests. The Forum has universal membership, and is composed of all Member States of the United Nations and specialized agencies.
