The UN Forum on Forests (UNFF), along with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), co-hosted a side event entitled “Regional forest cooperation – Reaching the 2010 Biodiversity Target and the UNFF Global Objectives on Forests by 2015,” during the 18th meeting of the CBD’s Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice, in Rome, Italy.

Representatives from FAO, UNFF, the CBD and other organizations made presentations addressing regional forestry commissions and forest biodiversity, and lessons from Central and Meso-America on integrating forest biodiversity considerations into regional cooperation. Participants then identified challenges and opportunities for improving the linkages between the international policy agenda and relevant regional processes and initiatives for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity (IISDRS Sources; http://www.un.org/esa/forests/pdf/SBSTTA13_sideevent.pdf).

In other UNFF news, the UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution on the adoption of the Non-Legally Binding Instrument on All Types of Forests is now available. Along with the adoption of the Instrument, the resolution invites member organizations of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests to implement the Instrument and governments, financial institutions and others to contribute to the UNFF Trust Fund. The resolution further states that the UNFF will carry out an assessment of the Instrument when reviewing the overall effectiveness of the international arrangement on forests. The Instrument, which was adopted by UNGA on 17 December 2007, is annexed to the resolution (http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/RES/62/98). ).