The demand
of society on forests has continuously changed. Initially, forests were
mainly seen as resources for timber. Overtime, the role of forests has
expanded as our society expects various economic, social and environmental
products and services from the forests. Forests now are seen as a component
of broader landscapes. The interconnectedness of forests to other sectors has
become much more understood. Also, there is a better appreciation of the
environmental and cultural role of forests. Looking into the future, it is
very important for governments, organizations, private sector and other
stakeholders to understand the roles of forests and forestry in the next
decades. This will help them in designing their interventions, investments
and strategic planning. In the past, in collaboration with governments and
partners, FAO has undertaken regional and global outlook studies to assess
how the future is likely to unfold and to identify challenges and
opportunities that are likely to emerge. FAO completed the first Asia-Pacific
Forestry Sector Outlook Study (APFSOS I) in 1998 and APFSOS II in 2010.
Governments appreciated the results of the studies as they used them for
strategic planning at national and sub-national levels. Policy dialogues
involving key stakeholders such as private sector, international
organizations, donors, youth, etc. on issues such as investment, partnership
and priorities in the forestry sector were also informed by the results of
these studies. Additionally, various organizations have used the studies for
research and capacity building.

According to the
report titled “Forest Future: Sustainable pathways for forests, landscapes
and people in the Asia-Pacific region,” forests and landscapes in the
Asia-Pacific region are under increasing pressure from climate change,
economic growth, infrastructure development, forest conversion, conflicts and
other stressors. Biodiversity and ecosystem resilience in natural forests are
declining along with the capacity of these forests to deliver water and soil
protection, climate regulation, and other important factors.

This report finds
that sustainable development will only be achieved in the region if we commit
to transformational change model by working cross-sectorally and across
borders, investing massively to restore forests and landscapes, reforming
forest tenure and outdated institutions, empowering communities, and
embracing innovation.

This new FAO
publication asserts that demand for forest products and ecosystem services
goes beyond borders. Water, wildlife, fire and forest pests don’t recognize
administrative or sectoral boundaries.

According to FAO
report the region’s population is projected to grow from 4.1 billion people
in 2017 to 4.7 billion in 2050. Home to 55 percent of the world’s population,
the Asia-Pacific region contains only 18 percent of global forests. There is
an urgent need for societies to reduce consumption, increase reuse, and
sustainably produce biomaterials in forests. We need to find innovative ways
to balance competing demands that will benefit us all.

Realizing an
aspirational future – and avoiding catastrophic outcomes – FAO urges all
countries in the region to implement the seven robust actions recommended in
this report. These are to 1) adopt adaptive landscape management; 2) increase
cooperation among stakeholders; 3) improve forest quality; 4) invest in
alternative economic models; 5) achieve good forest governance; 6) build
resilience; and 7) commit sufficient resources for forest and landscape
management. With strong political will, these actions will give countries the
best chance of ensuring the sustainability of ecosystems, economies and
communities.

Publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO

Organization: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
FAO

Year: 2019

ISBN: 978-92-5-131457-9

Geographical coverage: Asia and the Pacific

Type: Book

Full text available at: http://www.fao.org/3/ca4627en/CA4627EN.pdf

Content language: English