WASHINGTON and ROME, March 15 /PRNewswire/ -- International cooperation on
forest fires, combating deforestation and the role of the forest sector in
post-tsunami rehabilitation and in achieving the Millennium Development Goals
are among key issues being discussed at the FAO Ministerial Meeting on Forests
and the Committee on Forestry this week in Rome.
International cooperation on forest fires
Leading nations from around the world concerned with the future of
forests, pledged at the third Ministerial Meeting on Forests on Monday (March
14) to continue pursuit of the development of international cooperation on
forest fires in order to address uncontrolled forest fires and their root
causes.
"While fire is an important land management tool, severe wildland fires
have catastrophic effects. Lives are lost, livelihoods imperiled, local
economies devastated, and the environment seriously degraded," Dr. Jacques
Diouf, Director-General of FAO, said.
Globally, an average of 400 to 500 million hectares burn each year from
forest fires. As a response, bilateral and multilateral cooperation in forest
fire management has increased over the past few years. Until now, however,
cooperation on forest fire management has focused on fire suppression rather
than prevention.
Post-tsunami rehabilitation
The ministers discussed, among other things, the role of forestry in the
rehabilitation of Asian communities following the recent tsunami disaster.
They called for comprehensive assessment of forest damage from the tsunami
and wood needs for reconstruction in order to better respond to the emerging
challenges of post-tsunami rehabilitation. Issues at stake are the
rehabilitation of damaged forests; wood salvage; meeting the immediate needs
for wood for the reconstruction of piers, bridges, boats, houses and other
buildings as well as fuelwood; and the spread of pests and diseases through
wood and non-wood products.
FAO is currently analyzing available information and assisting affected
countries in their reconstruction efforts in order to restore people's
livelihoods within an integrated coastal management program.
Deforestation and Millennium Goals
The ministers decried the state of global forest degradation and
reconfirmed their commitment to sustainable forest management and to improved
coordination of economic, environmental and social policies for enhanced
contribution of forests to development and achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals.
More than 9 million hectares of forests are lost globally each year,
whereas forests provide multiple economic, environmental, social and cultural
functions. They help to conserve biodiversity, mitigate climate change,
provide clean water and energy, enhance soil fertility and support
livelihoods, among others. Forests contribute directly to achieving two of the
Millennium Goals, namely reducing extreme poverty and ensuring environmental
sustainability.
Committee on Forestry
Some 400 representatives of member countries, non-governmental
organizations and the private sector will discuss during this week ways to
implement the commitments to which ministers agreed during their meeting on
Monday. The State of World's Forests 2005, a biennial FAO publication, will
also be launched during the committee meeting.
The committee meets every two years in Rome to debate key global forestry
issues and give advice to FAO on its work program on forests. It is one of the
committees of the FAO's Council.
Over twenty complementary events will be held on the sideline, covering
topics such as forest law compliance; forests and climate change; forests and
biodiversity; invasive species and the links between forested areas and
violent conflict.
SOURCE Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
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