GACF- 1 -IFFA

Addressing UNFF716, April 2007

Joint position GACF and IFFA on Non-Legally Binding Instrument

Community and family forest owners must be part of the Non-Legally Binding Instrument

Community and family forest owners have a rich experience that should be used by policy makers in designing the forest policy framework on international, regional and local level. The non-legal binding instrument, discussed at the United Nations Forum on Forest in New York in April 2007 (UNFF7) must include community and family forest owners’ organizations in the design of the non-legally binding instrument. The participation of these groups must also be secured on the regional level.

As our joint position The International Family Forestry Alliance and the Global Alliance of Community Forestry the two organizations address the UNFF7 with these viewpoints.

The Major group Small forest landowners are bringing the knowledge and know-how of family forest owners and community forest owners from around the globe to the international forest policy discussion.

The two global networks GACF (Global Alliance on Community Forestry) and IFFA (International Family Forestry Alliance) are jointly providing their reflections on the current draft for a Non-Legally Binding Instrument.

The role of the Non-Legally Binding Instrument

ECOSOC resolution 2000/35 states rightfully that the role of the International Arrangement on forests (IAF) is “to provide a forum for continued policy development and dialogue among governments, which would involve international organizations and other interested parties, including major groups…”

The diversity of the world’s forests calls for a flexible and dynamic approach in the design of the non-legally binding instrument. GACF and IFFA are supporting a Non-Legally Binding Instrument that would provide a general policy framework, allowing regional forest policy processes to contribute in the best possible way to the global forest policy dialogue.

An important element will be the inclusion of Major Groups in the formulation of the non-legally binding instrument and its subsequent implementation. Since that initiation of the MultiStakeholder dialogue in 2002, the major groups have made an ongoing effort to build trust and partnerships with policy makers and decision takers.

Core elements

  • GACF and IFFA would like to emphasis that the four global objectives agreed upon during UNFF 6 should build the basis of the Non-Legally Binding Instrument.
  • GACF and IFFA note with appreciation that the revised composite draft text recognizes the important contribution of Major Groups in sustainable forest management as well as the value added through public-private partnerships. In this context it would be of crucial importance to have a mechanism developed that allows the recognition of public-private partnership initiatives and projects which contribute successfully to the implementation of the four global objectives and the Non-Legally Binding Instrument framework.
  • GACF and IFFA highlight the need to strengthen the link between UNFF and the regional forest related processes and emphasis that true participation of Major groups has likewise to be guaranteed in the regional processes.
  • GACF and IFFA point out that secure property and clearly defined tenure and land use rights are a prerequisite for the implementation of sustainable forest management as well as the best means to combat illegal logging.

Recommendations

Sound and coherent framework conditions provide the best way for the forest based sector to develop its full potential in contributing to sustainable development and the well-being of our societies. Since the start of the global forest policy dialogue in 1993 positive results have been achieved with view to the definition of sustainable forest management and the development of Criteria and Indicators for the quantitative and qualitative assessment of SFM. The future Non-Legally Binding Instrument should take this valuable achievement into consideration when defining mode and content of collaboration with other relevant processes and tools that have sustainable forest management on their agenda.

Conclusions

Community and family forest owners have a rich experience on the ground that should be used by policy makers and decision takers in designing the political framework. The regional and local networks represented by community and family forest owners are well suited to communicating and translating global forest policy deliberations on the ground.

GACF and IFFA are committed to putting the knowledge and know-how in the field of sustainable forest management of their regional and local networks at the disposal of the United Nations Forum on Forests process. In return, MemberStates and Intergovernmental organizations are requested to focus on the most pressing issues, to drive positive change for the sustainable development of the world’s forests.