IISD Reporting Services at UNFF-3, 26 May - June 6 2003, Geneva, Switzerland

Earth Negotiations Bulletin:
ENB will provide a daily report on negotiations at the UNFF-3. This website brings you daily coverage, with images and Real Audio.

UNFF-3 in French
Links to UNFF and Forest Internet Resources
Linkages Home


ENB daily reports	HTML	PDF	TXT
26 May
27 May
28 May
29 May
02 June
03 June
04 June
05 June
06 June
SUMMARY

United Nations Forum on Forests, Third Session
26 May - 6 June 2003 Geneva, Switzerland

Daily Web Coverage	\|Curtain\|	\|Mon 26\|	\|Tue 27\|	\|Wed 28\|	\|Thu 29\|	\|Fri 30\|
		\|Mon 2\|	\|Tue 3\|	\|Wed 4\|	\|Thu 5\|	\|Fri 6\|
French	\|Rideau\|	\|Lun 26\|	\|Mar 27\|	\|Mer 28\|	\|Jeu 29\|	\|Ven 30\|
		\|Lun 2\|	\|Mar 3\|	\|Mer 4\|	\|Jeu 5\|	\|Ven 6\|

Highlights for

Wednesday, 28 May 2003

On Wednesday, delegates convened in the morning to complete the multi-stakeholder dialogue and address common items on enhanced cooperation and policy and programme coordination. In the afternoon, delegates discussed the substantive item on forest health and productivity.

Above photo L-R: Delegate from Peru, Vice-Chair Gustavo Eduardo Ainchil (Argentina), Chair Hossein Moeini Meybodi, Vice-Chair Conceição Ferreira (Portugal)


Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue:

ETHIOPIA, discussed the causes and consequences of deforestation and appealed for financial assistance to improve the representation of developing country in future meetings.

The LOW FOREST COVER COUNTRIES Secretariat, highlighted its constitutional regional meeting.

Enhanced Cooperation and Policy and Programme Coordination:

Pekka Patosaari, UNFF Coordinator and Head, made a presentation on enhanced cooperation, including collaboration between the UNFF and existing international conventions and institutions.

Hosny Lakany, Chair of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), presented a progress report on the CPF's work, highlighting the development of the Sourcebook on Funding and the creation of a taskforce on streamlining reporting.

MOROCCO, on behalf of the G77/CHINA, called for enhanced capacity building and technology transfer, and encouraged the UNFF to enforce its collaboration with the various ECOSOC commissions, notably the CSD.

GREECE, on behalf of the EU and accession countries, called for enhanced dissemination of existing information, such as the CPF Sourcebook on Funding, and stressed the importance of harmonizing forest-related definitions and streamlining reporting.

JAPAN requested all CPF members to present their best knowledge and expertise for the work of the CPF and the UNFF, and take into the account the recommendations of UNFF-3 in their work in order to avoid duplication of efforts.

SENEGAL noted the lack of coordination between the UNFF and African countries and called for greater visibility in the forest-related processes.

INDIA underscored that enhanced cooperation is only effective when financial resources are available.

The IUCN called for the recognition and practical application of the Millennium Goals and the WSSD Plan of Implementation with regard to recognizing poverty eradication as a key to SFM.

Implementation of the IPF/IFF Proposals for Actions and the UNFF Plan of Action:

Tiina Vähänen (FAO) presented the report 'Progress in implementation: forest health and productivity'. She stressed the importance of, inter alia: preventive approaches dealing with emerging threats, both natural and anthropogenic; mitigation of the effects of climate change; and monitoring and networking.

GREECE on behalf of the EU and acceding countries, reiterated the EU's commitment to reducing the emission of air pollutants and greenhouse gases, and encouraged the ratification of the Kyoto protocol.

BRAZIL remarked that the Forest Health and Productivity Report lacks focus on technology transfer, capacity building and resource mobilization and is biased towards developed countries, ignoring their emission histories.

Describing how forest productivity in Europe has been increased due to unsustainable forest practices that at the same time affected forest health, POLAND warns against repeating the past mistakes and calls for ecosystem approach.

The USA stressed the need for understanding of the linkages between forest cover, health and productivity, and economic issues, and highlighted its new Healthy Forest Initiative.