Background
Forests, which cover 30% of the world’s land area (just under 4 billion hectares), are powerful symbols of nature and stores of biodiversity, providing a very wide range of goods and services to meet essential (e.g. climate regulation, water quality) and everyday (e.g. fiber, timber, paper) needs. Therefore, ongoing deforestation and permanent loss of forest cover – mainly conversion to agriculture and bio-energy fuel crops in developing countries (about 13 million hectares loss p.a.) – represent a significant concern and challenge to sustainable development.
The expansion of sustainable forest management (SFM) practices and use of wood, paper-based products and biomass energy for forests that are sustainably managed are becoming recognized as important sustainable development and climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.
The business case
In order to meet current and future needs for wood, paper and other bio-based products as well as ecosystem services (like clean water, land remediation and carbon storage), and to sustain local livelihoods and support global approaches to climate mitigation and adaptation, business must lead innovation in expanding sustainable forest-based solutions.
Some progress is evident with around 10% of the world’s forests independently certified for sustainability (over 385 million hectares). While the certified area is expanding in OECD countries, certification has yet to take hold elsewhere and deforestation continues at alarming rates in many developing countries.