The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has launched a new project aimed at improving transparency of forest data.
The $7.1m (€6.43m) project, to be jointly delivered by the FAO and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), aims to support developing nations in meeting the transparency requirements detailed under the Paris Climate Agreement. It is one of four global schemes to receive approval under the GEF’s Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency, which promotes worldwide implementation of the Paris Agreement by strengthening the transparency of sustainability data. The project is set to be implemented over the next two years by FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment and National Forest Monitoring departments.
The forest data transparency project will provide targeted support to 26 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America; as well as offering more general support for around 185 nations and territories which participate in FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessments. Its areas of focus will include:
- Implementing upgrades to the data reporting platform used in the Global Forest Resources Assessment to enable improved transparency and wider access to reported data;
- Delivering forest management workshops throughout Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America;
- Creating an e-learning facility to train forestry staff in data transparency, with the later aim of expanding the availability of the course to include universities and private sector bodies;
- Assembling materials for communication and outreach in order to raise awareness across the global forestry sector of the significance of a comprehensive data gathering and transparency policy; and
- Highlighting and sharing best practice information and case studies on forest data transparency.
Hiroto Mitsugi, Assistant Director General in FAO’s Forestry Department, said: “Many developing countries lack the capacity to generate reliable forest data to report on their climate achievements. This project will provide an essential platform for more transparent forest-related data, helping countries to compile, analyse and disseminate better data in line with the Paris Agreement’s requirements.”
