UN Forum on Forests (UNFF)
Summary
The United Nations launched the Global Forest Goals Report 2026 on the opening day of the 21st Session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF21) in New York.
The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) is a high-level intergovernmental policy forum with universal membership of all 193 UN member states, dedicated to the management, conservation, and sustainable development of all types of forests. Established in October 2000 by ECOSOC Resolution 2000/35, it forms the core of the International Arrangement on Forests (IAF) and is the only UN body where every country has an equal voice on forest policy.
UNFF operates under the UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017–2030 (UNSPF), which contains six Global Forest Goals (GFGs) and 26 associated targets. It coordinates global policy on Sustainable Forest Management (SFM), mobilises forest finance through the Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network (GFFFN), and works with 15 international agencies under the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), chaired by the FAO.
Background & Concept
What is UNFF?
The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) is a functional commission of ECOSOC — i.e., a permanent subsidiary intergovernmental body. Unlike the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) or the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), there is no binding international convention exclusively on forests. UNFF fills this gap by serving as the principal UN policy body for forests, with three core mandates:
- Policy development and coordination for Sustainable Forest Management (SFM).
- Implementation support through technical and financial cooperation.
- Political commitment building at the highest level.
A Brief History of Global Forest Governance
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1992 | Rio Earth Summit — adopted non-binding “Forest Principles”; no forest convention emerged |
| 1995 | Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF) under the CSD |
| 1997 | Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF) |
| 2000 | UNFF established by ECOSOC Resolution 2000/35 |
| 2007 | Non-Legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests (NLBI / UN Forest Instrument) adopted |
| 2015 | GFFFN (Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network) launched |
| 2017 | UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2030 adopted with 6 GFGs and 26 targets |
| 2026 | UNFF21 in New York; launch of Global Forest Goals Report 2026 |
About ECOSOC
The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, established under the UN Charter in 1945. It coordinates the work of 14 UN specialised agencies, 9 functional commissions (including UNFF), and 5 regional commissions on economic, social, and environmental issues. It has 54 member states elected for three-year terms.
Structure of the International Arrangement on Forests (IAF)
The IAF has five components:
- UNFF – policy and decision-making body.
- UNFF Secretariat – administrative support, hosted by UNDESA in New York.
- Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) – inter-agency mechanism of 15 bodies, chaired by FAO.
- UN Forest Instrument (UNFI) – non-binding global framework (2007).
- GFFFN – financing facilitation network (2015).
Key Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Universal Membership | All 193 UN member states participate |
| Parent Body | ECOSOC (Resolution 2000/35) |
| Secretariat | Hosted by UNDESA in New York |
| Chair (CPF) | Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) |
| Core Framework | UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017–2030 |
| Global Forest Goals | 6 GFGs and 26 targets |
| Anchor Instrument | UN Forest Instrument (2007) — first global forest framework |
| Financing Arm | Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network (GFFFN), 2015 |
| Session Cycle | Biennial — even-numbered sessions: technical; odd-numbered: high-level policy |
The Six Global Forest Goals (under UNSPF 2030)
- GFG 1: Reverse loss of forest cover; +3% forest area by 2030.
- GFG 2: Enhance forest-based economic, social, and environmental benefits.
- GFG 3: Increase protected and sustainably managed forests.
- GFG 4: Mobilise financial resources for SFM.
- GFG 5: Promote governance frameworks for SFM.
- GFG 6: Enhance cooperation, coordination, and synergies in forest issues.
Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF)
A voluntary inter-agency arrangement of 15 international organisations, institutions, and secretariats working on forests, chaired by the FAO. Members include the CBD, CITES, IUCN, ITTO, GEF, World Bank, UNEP, UNDP, UNFCCC, UNCCD, World Agroforestry Centre, CIFOR, etc. The CPF provides technical backbone to UNFF.
India’s Position
India is an active and influential member of UNFF and one of the few large economies with stable or marginally growing forest cover:
- Forest & Tree Cover: ~25.17% of geographical area (India State of Forest Report, FSI).
- National policies: National Forest Policy (1988), Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act (2016), Forest Conservation Act (1980), Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act (2023), Forest Rights Act (2006).
- International pledges:
- Bonn Challenge (2011): India pledged 26 million hectares restoration by 2030.
- New York Declaration on Forests (2014).
- UNFCCC NDC: Create an additional carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes of CO₂-equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2030.
- Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use (2021) — India did not formally sign but supports broader objectives.
- Institutional Setup: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC); Forest Survey of India (FSI), Dehradun; ICFRE, Dehradun.
Keywords & Definitions
▸ UN Forum on Forests (UNFF): A high-level intergovernmental policy forum under ECOSOC (2000) with universal membership of all 193 UN member states; principal global body for forest policy.
▸ ECOSOC (UN Economic and Social Council): One of the six principal organs of the UN, established under the UN Charter (1945); coordinates economic, social, and environmental work of the UN system; has 54 member states.
▸ International Arrangement on Forests (IAF): Overarching global architecture for forests; comprises UNFF, its Secretariat, CPF, UN Forest Instrument, and GFFFN.
▸ UN Forest Instrument (2007): Also called the Non-Legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests (NLBI); first global framework on sustainable forest management.
▸ UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017–2030 (UNSPF): Global framework adopted in 2017 with 6 Global Forest Goals (GFGs) and 26 targets.
▸ Global Forest Goals (GFGs): Six voluntary goals under UNSPF, covering forest cover expansion, benefits, governance, finance, cooperation, and protection.
▸ Sustainable Forest Management (SFM): Stewardship of forests in a way that maintains biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, and vitality for present and future generations.
▸ Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF): Voluntary inter-agency body of 15 organisations working on forests; chaired by FAO.
▸ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): UN specialised agency (1945), headquartered in Rome, leading global efforts on food security and forests; publishes the Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA).
▸ Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network (GFFFN): Launched in 2015; helps developing countries design national forest financing strategies and access multilateral funds.
▸ Global Environment Facility (GEF): Established in 1991, hosted in Washington D.C.; major multilateral fund supporting environmental projects, including forest and biodiversity.
▸ REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation): UN-backed framework under UNFCCC for incentivising developing countries to reduce forest-based emissions.
▸ Bonn Challenge (2011): Global effort to restore 350 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2030; India’s pledge — 26 million hectares.
▸ New York Declaration on Forests (2014): Non-binding declaration aiming to halve forest loss by 2020 and end it by 2030.
▸ Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use (2021): Signed by 140+ countries at COP26; commits to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030.
▸ Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): International treaty (1992) for conservation of biodiversity; Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (2022) adopted at CBD COP15.
▸ United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): Adopted at the Rio Earth Summit (1992); parent treaty of the Paris Agreement (2015).
▸ United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD): 1994 Convention; addresses land degradation and Land Degradation Neutrality.
▸ UNDESA (UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs): Secretariat for UNFF; supports sustainable development analysis and statistics.
▸ IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): Established in 1948, headquartered in Gland, Switzerland; publishes the Red List of Threatened Species; key CPF member.
▸ National Forest Policy (1988): India’s principal forest policy; aims for 33% forest and tree cover.
▸ Forest Survey of India (FSI): Set up in 1981, headquartered at Dehradun, under MoEFCC; publishes the biennial India State of Forest Report (ISFR).
▸ Voluntary National Contributions (VNCs): Country-level commitments under the UNSPF.
Question Section (MCQs)
Q1. The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) was established in:
(a) 1992 (b) 1995 (c) 2000 (d) 2007
Q2. Consider the following statements regarding the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF):
- It is a subsidiary body of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
- It has universal membership of all 193 UN Member States.
- Its Secretariat is hosted by UNEP in Nairobi.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Q3. The UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017–2030 contains:
(a) 5 Global Forest Goals and 20 targets (b) 6 Global Forest Goals and 26 targets (c) 7 Global Forest Goals and 30 targets (d) 8 Global Forest Goals and 32 targets
Q4. The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), which supports the UNFF, is chaired by:
(a) UNEP (b) UNDP (c) FAO (d) World Bank
Q5. Consider the following statements about the International Arrangement on Forests (IAF):
- It comprises the UNFF, its Secretariat, the CPF, the UN Forest Instrument, and the GFFFN.
- The UN Forest Instrument was adopted in 2007 as a legally binding global treaty on forests.
- The Global Forest Financing Facilitation Network (GFFFN) was launched in 2015.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1 and 3 only (c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Q6. Which of the following is NOT a member of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF)?
(a) Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) (b) International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (c) World Trade Organization (WTO) (d) Global Environment Facility (GEF)
Q7. The Bonn Challenge, frequently associated with UNFF’s restoration mandate, aims to restore degraded land to the extent of:
(a) 150 million hectares by 2025 (b) 350 million hectares by 2030 (c) 500 million hectares by 2040 (d) 1 billion hectares by 2050
Q8. The UN Forest Instrument (2007) is best described as:
(a) A legally binding global forest treaty (b) A non-legally binding global framework on all types of forests (c) A financing mechanism under the Green Climate Fund (d) A subsidiary protocol of the UNFCCC
Q9. Consider the following statements about India’s engagement with global forest goals:
- India is a signatory to the Bonn Challenge with a pledge of 26 million hectares.
- Under its NDC, India aims to create an additional carbon sink of 2.5–3 billion tonnes of CO₂-equivalent through forest and tree cover by 2030.
- India ratified the New York Declaration on Forests (2014).
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Q10. Match the following:
| Body / Instrument | Role |
|---|---|
| A. UNFF | 1. Inter-agency partnership chaired by FAO |
| B. CPF | 2. Non-binding global forest framework (2007) |
| C. UN Forest Instrument | 3. High-level intergovernmental policy forum |
| D. GFFFN | 4. Financing facilitation network (2015) |
Select the correct answer:
(a) A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4 (b) A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4 (c) A-3, B-2, C-1, D-4 (d) A-2, B-3, C-1, D-4
Answer Key with Explanations
▸ Q1 → (c) 2000 The UNFF was established in October 2000 by ECOSOC Resolution 2000/35, succeeding the earlier Intergovernmental Panel on Forests (IPF, 1995) and Intergovernmental Forum on Forests (IFF, 1997).
▸ Q2 → (a) 1 and 2 only Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong — UNFF’s Secretariat is hosted by UNDESA in New York, not UNEP in Nairobi.
▸ Q3 → (b) 6 Global Forest Goals and 26 targets The UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2017–2030 (UNSPF) contains 6 Global Forest Goals (GFGs) and 26 associated targets — the global blueprint for sustainable forest management.
▸ Q4 → (c) FAO The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), comprising 15 international organisations on forests, is chaired by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
▸ Q5 → (b) 1 and 3 only Statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is wrong — the UN Forest Instrument (2007) is a non-legally binding instrument on all types of forests, not a binding treaty.
▸ Q6 → (c) World Trade Organization (WTO) The CPF brings together forest-related bodies — CBD, CITES, IUCN, ITTO, GEF, World Bank, UNEP, UNDP, UNFCCC, UNCCD, FAO, etc. The WTO is not a CPF member.
▸ Q7 → (b) 350 million hectares by 2030 The Bonn Challenge, launched in 2011, aims to restore 350 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2030. India has pledged 26 million hectares.
▸ Q8 → (b) The UN Forest Instrument (2007) — also called the Non-Legally Binding Instrument (NLBI) on All Types of Forests — is the first global framework on sustainable forest management, but is not legally binding.
▸ Q9 → (a) 1 and 2 only Statements 1 and 2 are correct. Statement 3 is wrong — the New York Declaration on Forests (2014) is a non-binding political declaration; India did not endorse it.
▸ Q10 → (a) A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4 UNFF — high-level intergovernmental policy forum; CPF — inter-agency partnership chaired by FAO; UN Forest Instrument — non-binding global forest framework (2007); GFFFN — financing facilitation network (2015).
