The latest United Nations (UN) FAO report reinforces that sustainably managed forests – using a certain amount of timber for construction and replanting after harvest – are essential to help curb the global climate crisis and avert major biodiversity loss, Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Forest Products Association (VFPA), Deb Kerr said today.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the UN has released its 2022 State of the World’s Forests Report which sets out three key pathways to build more efficient, resilient, and sustainable agri-food systems. The report calls for:
- Halting deforestation
- Restoring degraded land and expanding agroforestry and
- Sustainably using forestry to build ‘green’ value chains.
Deb Kerr said, “The FAO report clearly shows how sustainably managed forests can help the world fight climate change and support the environment. Victoria can be a world leader to showcase sustainably managed and harvested forests are not mutually exclusive.
“The three pathways can support global economic and environmental recovery as the world looks to decarbonise and increase the use of renewables. The report shows that sustainable forestry, as practiced currently in Victoria, is vital to drive the transition to a more efficient and circular bio-economy.
“The FAO report provides an exciting narrative. It raises awareness and encourages policy dialogue on sustainable forest use. It is exciting to consider how much the world’s forests can contribute to making the Paris Agreement reality,” Ms Kerr concluded.
Read the full report here.
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