The strong commitment of the international community, and especially the CPF members, to provide the information necessary for monitoring progress towards global goals, targets and indicators in a comprehensive, efficient, timely and meaningful way led to the idea of developing a global core set of forest-related indicators (GCS). The aim was to simplify and harmonize concepts and terminology while respecting the needs of all potential users. The concrete work on the GCS was initiated in 2016 through an organization-led initiative on the development of global forest indicators. Following the recommendation of this initiative, the CPF members established a GCS taskforce, which developed the GCS. The GCS was presented to the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) and FAO’s Committee on Forestry, which welcomed the progress made in developing the GCS and acknowledged its value for assessing progress and better focusing data-collection efforts to reduce duplication. The two bodies also encouraged the application of those indicators that are ready to use and requested the CPF to continue developing the remaining indicators, particularly those that may require additional efforts but are manageable through various data sources. This is an accompanying document of the FAO report, State of the World’s Forests 2022 (SOFO 2022). It provides an overview of the GCS and presents the latest data on the status and trends of the 21 indicators. SOFO 2022, which examines three potential forest pathways for addressing global challenges, is available separately.

The twenty-fifth session of the Committee on Forestry (CPF) requested FAO to analyse - in collaboration with members of the CPF - the uptake of the Global Core Set of forest related Indicators (GCS) by other reporting processes and the extent to which they decrease reporting burden on countries. To respond to this request, conducted a user survey among the CPF partners and other forest data and information reporting processes. The survey received 26 responses from 22 organizations, with 100 percent coverage of CPF Members. The survey results show that the majority of the indicators are considered "of interest" to the various responding organizations, and that none of the indicators is considered superfluous or unnecessary. For most indicators, less than half of the organizations collect data themselves, leaving that role to organizations with the appropriate mandate and resources. In all cases, organizations that collected data cooperated with others, notably through instruments like the CFRQ and the Joint Forest Sector Questionnaire (JFSQ). The organizations that did not collect data themselves mostly used data from a trusted partner, representing a significant reduction of the reporting burden on countries.

To coincide with the 50th anniversary of FAO’s Committee on Forestry, this edition of Unasylva showcases ways in which forests are delivering the "four betters" and underscores how forests are crucial for resilient and sustainable agrifood systems in a changing climate. As FAO’s longest running periodical, Unasylva focuses on issues and themes relevant to forestry and forest industries and aims to bring globally significant developments in forestry to policy-makers, forest managers, technicians, researchers, students and teachers around the globe.

A global assessment of potential and anticipated impacts of efforts to achieve the SDGs on forests and related socio-economic systems. This title is available as Open Access via Cambridge Core.

Assesses progress to date in meeting global targets and goals related to forest biodiversity and examines the effectiveness of policies, actions and approaches, in terms of both conservation and sustainable development outcomes.

A fascinating look into the scope and impacts of this major reporting exercise over a period of seven decades.

Natural resource policies provide the foundation for sustainable resource use, management, and protection. Natural Resource Policy blends policy processes, history, institutions, and current events to analyze sustainable development of natural resources. The book’s detailed coverage explores the market and political allocation and management of natural resources for human benefits, as well as their contributions for environmental services. Wise natural resource policies that promote sustainable development, not senseless exploitation, promise to improve our quality of life and the environment. Public or private policies may be used to manage natural resources. When private markets are inadequate due to public goods or market failure, many policy options, including regulations, education, incentives, government ownership, and hybrid public/private policy instruments may be crafted by policy makers. Whether a policy is intended to promote intensive management of natural resources to enhance sustained yield or to restore degraded conditions to a more socially desirable state, this comprehensive guide outlines the ways in which natural resource managers can use their technical skills within existing administrative and legal frameworks to implement or influence policy.