UN Celebrates World Environment Day

Investing an additional USD 40 billion a year in the forestry sector could halve deforestation rates by 2030, increase tree planting by around 140 percent by 2050, and catalyze the creation of millions of new jobs. Those were among main findings of a report on forests produced by the UN Environment Program (UNEP) and launched today by the UN Communications Group in a press conference in Beirut on the occasion of World Environment Day 2011 (WED). Micheline Matta of the UN ESCWA gave a presentation summarizing the main findings of the report, entitled “Forests in a Green Economy: A Synthesis.” Consisting of six sections, the report tackles the contribution of forests and their current situation; their role in green economy; investment in the forestry sector; recommendations regarding public policies on forests in green economy; success stories and other aspects. The report links progress and wellbeing of humans to the presence of forests, which “help stabilize the world’s climate and provide habitat for biodiversity.” Matta listed the values of some services forests provide, including nutrition and energy. Although the report showed that the process of deforestation scaled back, 13 million hectares of tropical forests are being removed on a yearly basis and as a result causing grave consequences on climate change in terms of increasing carbon dioxide emissions. “Forests represent a vital link in the transition to a green economy; thus, they promote sustainable development and poverty eradication in the context of our quest to move towards a more equitable and low-carbon future,” said Matta in her presentation. “Around USD 64 billion are invested in the forestry sector on a yearly basis, 28 percent of which are spent on forests’ management while the rest are used for manufacturing forests’ products and trade,” she added. The report urged governments and the international community to introduce public policy reforms in order to create incentives and investments in forests. Commercial and financial institutions were also invited to encourage investment in the forestry sector. In an inaugural statement, Director of the UN Information Center in Beirut Bahaa Elkoussy, who chairs the UN Communication Group, expressed hope that on the occasion of WED the UN would be able to mobilize as many people as possible in Lebanon, the Arab region and elsewhere to play effective roles in protecting and preserving the environment. “Evidences have proved that without a healthy environment, nations and communities will not be able to achieve a sustainable environment for themselves and for future generations,” he added. Elkoussy said WED was not only for the UN, governments, organizations and civil society, and it would be meaningless without active and effective involvement by individuals in a wide range of pro-environment actions. “We hope communities would show greater respect and appreciation for forests and encourage stakeholders to invest in this sector in order to preserve this unique and rare natural resource. Let us give the Earth a real chance. The absence of a clean and unpolluted environment is inevitable for our existence.” WED 2011 came during the UN-declared International Year of the Forests, which is in part focused on the critical links between forests and the transition to a low carbon, resource-efficient green economy. Representatives of several active environmental non-governmental organizations in Lebanon attended the report’s launch at the UN House in Beirut. Participants watched two short documentaries on forests produced by UNEP. It was agreed at the end of discussions to organize a coordination meeting soon between UN ESCWA officials promoting green economy and relevant Lebanese civil society groups for the purpose of enhancing national efforts to protect the environment.