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Eighth Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests
United Nations Headquarters, New York | 20 April - 1 May 2009
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Finally Friday at Forest Forum
On Friday, 24 April, delegates to the eighth session of the UN Forum on Forests continued deliberations at UN headquarters in New York. In the morning, delegates met in two working groups: Working Group I focused on forests in a changing environment; and Working Group II addressed means of implementation. The afternoon working group sessions were postponed for WGI Co-Chairs to revise the recommendations on key challenges facing forests in a changing environment, and for informal consultations on the revised WGII Co-Chairs' text on financing. Plenary reconvened in the late afternoon to take stock of progress made during the first week of the meeting, and plan the organization of work for the second week.
Above: Bureau members and Secretariat huddled during WGII.
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Friday, 24 April
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Working Group I: Forests in a Changing Environment
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Working Group I focused on a "UNFF8 message to the outside world." Delegates made suggestions on the content and target audience of such a message. Co-Chair Ozols then suspended the session to allow for the preparation of a revised recommendation on key challenges facing forests in a changing environment.
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Direndra Singh, Nepal.
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Sebastien Malele-Mbala, Democratic Republic of the Congo, for the African Group.
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Christoph Dürr, Switzerland.
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Working Group II: Means of Implementation
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Working Group II briefly addressed a Co-Chairs' text on a road map for financing SFM. G-77 countries objected to basing negotiations on the Co-Chairs' text, which in their view did not take into account the opinions of G-77 countries. A redrafted text was distributed in the afternoon, and delegates considered the revisions in informal consultations. Delegates agreed to begin negotiations in the Working Group on the basis of the revised text, on Monday morning.
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Niermala Hindori-Badrising, Suriname.
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Knut Øistad, Norway.
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Hatem Tag-Eldin, Egypt.
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Plenary
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In the afternoon plenary, delegates elected Modest Mero, Tanzania, as Working Group I Co-Chair, to replace Abdellah Benmellouk, Morocco. The Working Group Co-Chairs reported to plenary on the progress of their respective working groups, and delegates decided to reconvene in working groups on Monday morning.
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Julius Adewopo, Children and Youth.
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Mario Rafael Rodriguez Palma, Guatemala.
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Dušan Jović, Serbia.
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Side Event
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Francisco Santos Calderón, Vice President of Colombia, gave a presentation on the "Shared Responsibility" campaign, which seeks to raise public awareness of the deforestation, environmental degradation and biodiversity loss caused by illicit coca farming and cocaine production.
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Around UNFF8
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A beautiful Friday afternoon awaited delegates.
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Related Links
United Nations Forum on Forests
UNFF8
UNFF8
Provisional Agenda
Collaborative Partnership on Forests
Related IISD Coverage of Forest Meetings
19th Session of the FAO Committee on
Forestry, 16-20 March 2009, Rome
44th Session of the International Tropical Timber Council, 3-8 November 2008, Yokohama
UNFF CLI on Financing for Sustainable Forest Management, 8-12 September 2008, Paramaribo
Seventh Session of the
UN Forum on Forests (UNFF-7), 16-27 April 2007, New York
Sixth Session of the
UN Forum on Forests (UNFF-6), 13-24 February 2006, New York
Fifth Session of the
UN Forum on Forests (UNFF-5), 16-27 May 2005, New York
Fourth Session of the
UN Forum on Forests (UNFF-4), 3-14 May 2004, Geneva
IISD
Linkages - Forest, Desertification, Land
A
Brief Introduction to Global Forest Policy
Linkages Update
MEA-L - Newsletter on key MEAs and their secretariats
Africa Regional Coverage
Climate Change Policy & Practice - A knowledge management project for international negotiations and related activities on climate change
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