Strengthening national capacities on sustainable forest use

Context

A government commitment to sustainable and conservation-oriented forestry entails: sound policies, a plan, environmental and social assessments, adequate institutional capacity, setting aside adequate compensatory forests to maintain biodiversity and safeguarding the interests of forest dwellers, specifically their rights of access to designated forest areas.

Implementation

This strategy features in the framework of Agenda 21 as formulated at UNCED (Rio de Janeiro, 1992), now coordinated by the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development and implemented through national and local authorities.

Agenda 21 recommends capacity-building, including strengthening of existing capacity, in particular through: improving administration, policy and plans, national institutions, human resources, research and scientific capabilities; technology development; periodic evaluation.

Claim

National governments, in collaboration with appropriate international organizations and institutions, should develop the necessary capacity for implementing this area. This should be harmonized with capacity-building for other areas. Capacity-building should cover such aspects as policies, public administration, national-level institutions, human resource and skill development, research capability, technology development, information systems, programme evaluation, intersectoral coordination and international cooperation.