FSC and Forestry for the needs of the 21st century
Room: SPB 2
As pointed out by the FSC Global Strategic Plan 2015-2020, achieving ‘Forests For All Forever’ demands a transformative shift in the drivers of forest management around the world. In today’s global forest system, there are greater incentives for deforestation and forest degradation than for responsible forest management, and political agendas are driven by a myriad of actors pointing in different directions, that in aggregated terms do not ensure that the value of forests is fully recognized.
In order to fulfil its mission, FSC needs to continue harnessing its convening power by providing a more comprehensive and inclusive vision for forestry in the 21st century. The core of this vision is already outlined in FSC’s governance model and in the work that is currently being undertaken, mostly through development of national forest stewardship standards and other FSC normative documents.
Nevertheless, many global debates about protection and management of forests for the future take place without solid integration of forestry considerations. Instead, they often focus solely on forest protection and/or avoidance of deforestation from agricultural expansion, thereby missing out on the contribution responsible forestry can make to ensuring Forests For All Forever.
In order to change this situation, FSC needs to be bolder in engaging in global, regional and national discussions to insert responsible forest management as a crucial component of all discussions about the future of the world’s forests.
This vision aims at protecting and managing forests for the benefit of humankind, including maintenance and enhancement of essential forest ecological functions, cultural, spiritual and livelihood values. It also aims at unpacking those political or business models that reward sustainable forestry practices and help meet the needs of a growing and increasingly prosperous global population. The purpose of this event is to discuss and explore ideas on how this vision can be framed and promoted, including different roles and rules for forestry in different forest types and different geographic and political contexts.
Translation: English/Spanish
Open to all participants