The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change is set to host a country-led initiative (CLI) event from 26 to 28 October at the Forest Research Institute (FRI) in Dehradun to address forest management challenges and climate resilience

The event will take place as part of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF). The in-depth deliberations on the thematic areas of forest fires and forest certification are designed to promote the sharing of best practices, which, in turn, supports global efforts in advancing the UN strategic plan for forests’ global forest goals.

In recent years, the world has witnessed an alarming increase in the scale and duration of wildfires, with significant impacts on biodiversity, ecosystems, human well-being, livelihoods and economies. Forested areas have been profoundly affected, with approximately 100 million hectares, equivalent to three per cent of the world’s forest area, affected by fires annually. India, like many other countries, grapples with the escalating challenge of forest fires due to changing climate patterns.

The total forest area under certification has expanded significantly since 2010, rising by 35 per cent or 120 million hectares. The year 2020 to 2021 alone witnessed an increase of 27 million hectares in certified forest areas. Developing countries, however, continue to face several challenges related to the certification process, including high costs, audit and compliance issues, inaccessibility to forest owners in remote areas, and capacity constraints due to the complexity of various certification standards.

Over 80 delegates from more than 40 countries and 20 international organisations are expected to participate in this event. The meeting is poised to produce practical frameworks and recommendations for forest fire and forest certification management to further the cause of Sustainable Forest Management. These outcomes will be considered during the nineteenth session of UNFF scheduled to take place at the UN Headquarters in New York in May 2024.