UNDP Sustainable Forests

WHAT IS THE SOUND OF A TREE NOT FALLING?

Working with communities, government agencies, NGOs and businesses, UNDP’s forest-related programmes support the development of policies and community-based, sustainable measures that improve forest management.

Forests are the lungs of our planet. More than 40% of the world’s oxygen is produced by rainforests. They are home to 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity.  Furthermore, the livelihoods of 1.6 billion people depend on forests.  More than a quter of modern medicines, worth an estimated US$ 108 billion a year, originate from tropical forest plants.  The carbon in forests exceeds the amount of carbon currently in the atmosphere.

Recognizing that forests and sustainable forest management can contribute significantly to sustainable development, poverty eradication and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, the UN General Assembly declared 2011 as the International Year of the Forests.

Additional information:

– No sponsors.

– Placed onto CNN, which runs such announcements for free, websites, and Youtube and Twitter and Facebook.

– Produced in connection with the UN Secretary General’s global push for sustainable forestry and then for sustainable energy.

Contact Details:

Cherie Hart

Tel: +66 (0)81 918 1564

Cherie.Hart@undp.org