United Nations Forum on Forests : 20th Session
India actively participated in the 20th Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF20), held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
India at United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF20):
- The Indian delegation highlighted the country’s achievements in forest conservation and sustainable forest management, reaffirming its commitment to the Voluntary National Contributions (VNCs) under the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests (UNSPF) 2017–2030.
- India reported a steady increase in forest and tree cover, which now stands at 17% of its geographical area, as per the latest India State of Forest Report.
- Among the key national initiatives mentioned were:
- Aravalli Green Wall project for land restoration,
- A 86% increase in mangrove cover over the past decade,
- Afforestation of over 1.55 lakh hectares under the Green India Mission, and
- Planting of 4 billion seedlings under the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam (Plant4Mother) campaign.
- A major highlight was India’s invitation to all UN Member States to join the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), a global platform initiated by India to protect the seven big cat species through collaborative research, knowledge exchange, and capacity-building.
- These studies focused on quantifying ecosystem services like carbon sequestration, water provisioning, and biodiversity conservation, using tools such as the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA).
- The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) was established in 2000 by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to promote sustainable forest management and conservation
- The forum holds annual sessions at the UN Headquarters, alternating between technical discussions (odd years) and policy-level dialogues (even years).
- UNFF has universal membership, including all UN Member States and specialised forest-related agencies.
- India is a founding member of the UNFF, and continues to play a proactive role in shaping forest-related global policy.
- The 19th UNFF Session Declaration aimed to secure high-level political commitment to forest protection, with actionable steps to achieve the goals of the UN Strategic Plan for Forests (UNSPF).
