Sustainable intensification
Room: Cypress
Products from responsibly managed forests are inherently more sustainable than products from non-renewable sources, but can responsible management be combined with increasing production?
World consumer demand for forest products is likely to continue to rise, and this increasing demand can be an important element of global attempts to create a green or a circular economy. Replacing the oil-based economy with an economy based on renewable resources is crucial, and forests and plantations will be the source of many of the renewable resources.
However, at the same time, we are faced with a global need to stop forest degradation and protect high conservation values including Intact Forest Landscapes. In order to stop biodiversity loss and retain forest ecosystem services, we must protect much more forest area than we do today.
Are there ways that the forest sector work to make ends meet, so that we can obtain both increased production and increased protection at the same time? And what role can FSC play in making this happen?
Sustainable intensification has been proposed as an approach to resolve the dilemma, looking at a range of interventions spanning from governance reforms to technological innovations. The concept has been used in very different settings such as engaging smallholders in tree planting, improving productivity from boreal forest management in order to make IFL protection possible, or using modern technologies for pest management, fertilization or plant breeding to increase production from plantation management.
This side event will provide an introduction to the challenge we are facing and will ask a panel of FSC members and experts to discuss what role FSC could take to be part of meeting the challenge, including by being a convener of dialogue. The debate will touch on deeply controversial issues such as pesticides and genetically modified trees, but will also look at solutions related to forest governance and landscape approaches.
Translation: English/Spanish/French
Open to all participants