At the Rio+20 conference the word is that world’s forests have a major role in the transition to a new, greener economy. However, governments must have programs and policies to unlock their potential and to create sustainable management according to the Food & Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). Source: Timberbiz
In a new report, The State of the World’s Forests 2012 (SOFO 2012), the
FAO makes the case that better and more sustainable use of forestry resources can make a significant contribution to meeting many of the core challenges being discussed in Rio, including reducing poverty and hunger, minimizing the impacts of climate change, and creating alternative and more sustainable sources of bio-products and bioenergy for human use.
“Forests and trees on farms are a direct source of food, energy, and cash income for more than a billion of the world’s poorest people,” said FAO Assistant Director-General for Forestry Eduardo Rojas-Briales. “At the same time, forests trap carbon and mitigate climate change, maintain water and soil health, and prevent desertification.
“The sustainable management of forests offers multiple benefits – with the right programs and policies, the sector can lead the way towards more sustainable, greener economies.”
Investments in wood-based enterprises can generate jobs, create assets and help revitalize the lives of millions of people in rural areas, according to FAO’s new report.
Despite sometimes having a poor reputation due to concerns over deforestation, wood products – if sourced from well-run forestry operations – can store carbon and are easily recycled.
FAO’s report also argues that sustainable forestry offers a renewable, alternative source of energy.
According to SOFO 2012 deriving energy from wood, can offer a climateneutral and socially equitable solution, provided wood is harvested from sustainably managed forests, burned using appropriate technologies, and undertaken in combination with reforestation and sustainable forest management programs.
According to the report the use of renewable energy, including woodbased fuels, relative to fossil fuels may be one of the most important components of a global transition to low carbon economies.
