Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Pathways to forest data transparency: Best practices from national forest monitoring to support climate action

Pathways to forest data transparency: Best practices from national forest monitoring to support climate action provides essential insights for enhancing transparency in forest data. Featuring successful examples from Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America and the Caribbean, this publication empowers countries to develop robust national forest monitoring systems that drive climate reporting and inform effective policy. With adaptable case studies, this guide showcases innovative approaches demonstrating how NFMSs can be tailored to diverse needs while aligning with global standards.

Grounded in data – Informing climate action and reporting with national forest inventories

The publication, Grounded in Data – Informing Climate Action and Reporting with National Forest Inventories, provides a comprehensive overview of the role of National Forest Inventories (NFIs) in supporting sustainable forest management and informing international climate commitments. It explores how NFIs, as systematic and cyclical processes, compile and analyze data on forest resources, providing valuable insights into forest health, biodiversity, carbon stocks, and socioeconomic functions. The publication highlights the importance of NFIs in supporting national and subnational policy-making, especially in the context of climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Status of, and trends in, the Global Core Set of Forest-related Indicators

The strong commitment of the international community, and especially the CPF members, to provide the information necessary for monitoring progress towards global goals, targets and indicators in a comprehensive, efficient, timely and meaningful way led to the idea of developing a global core set of forest-related indicators (GCS). The aim was to simplify and harmonize concepts and terminology while respecting the needs of all potential users. The concrete work on the GCS was initiated in 2016 through an organization-led initiative on the development of global forest indicators. Following the recommendation of this initiative, the CPF members established a GCS taskforce, which developed the GCS. The GCS was presented to the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) and FAO’s Committee on Forestry, which welcomed the progress made in developing the GCS and acknowledged its value for assessing progress and better focusing data-collection efforts to reduce duplication. The two bodies also encouraged the application of those indicators that are ready to use and requested the CPF to continue developing the remaining indicators, particularly those that may require additional efforts but are manageable through various data sources. This is an accompanying document of the FAO report, State of the World’s Forests 2022 (SOFO 2022). It provides an overview of the GCS and presents the latest data on the status and trends of the 21 indicators. SOFO 2022, which examines three potential forest pathways for addressing global challenges, is available separately.

Global assessment of forest education

The role of the forest in countries’ efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are widely recognized. To maximize the contribution of forests to the SDGs, a workforce trained in forestry and a broad range of other forestrelated disciplines are needed as are widespread public knowledge and understanding of forest topics. However, recent literature highlights concerns that forest education is often not meeting the fast-changing needs of the labour market and the importance of forests and of forest managers and policymakers is often under-appreciated. The scope of this report covers education and training related to forests, trees outside forests and other wooded land (i.e. natural forests, forest plantations, woodlands, agroforests and urban forests). It includes education delivered through programmes of forestry and forest sciences as well as programmes of broader scope, (e.g. natural resources management, environmental sciences). It covers all levels of formal education: primary, secondary, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) and universities and colleges (UC). This report reveals awareness of some overarching actions that would benefit forest education, including ameliorating a negative public image of professional forestrelated jobs and careers; developing better collaboration between educational institutions, the forest sector (private and public) and the general public; improving demographic diversity in the post-secondary student population; and strengthening digital readiness at all levels of education. The data collected by global survey on forest education supplemented by the six regional consultations represent a wealth of current information on the status and needs in forest education.

An assessment of uptake of the Global Core Set of Forest-related Indicators

The twenty-fifth session of the Committee on Forestry (CPF) requested FAO to analyse - in collaboration with members of the CPF - the uptake of the Global Core Set of forest related Indicators (GCS) by other reporting processes and the extent to which they decrease reporting burden on countries. To respond to this request, conducted a user survey among the CPF partners and other forest data and information reporting processes. The survey received 26 responses from 22 organizations, with 100 percent coverage of CPF Members. The survey results show that the majority of the indicators are considered "of interest" to the various responding organizations, and that none of the indicators is considered superfluous or unnecessary. For most indicators, less than half of the organizations collect data themselves, leaving that role to organizations with the appropriate mandate and resources. In all cases, organizations that collected data cooperated with others, notably through instruments like the CFRQ and the Joint Forest Sector Questionnaire (JFSQ). The organizations that did not collect data themselves mostly used data from a trusted partner, representing a significant reduction of the reporting burden on countries.

QGIS

This is a QGIS-based workflow to support the computation of SDG Indicator 15.4.2, which includes: sub-indicator a (Mountain Green Cover Index) and sub-indicator b (Proportion of degraded mountain land).

SEPAL-SDG 15.4.2 beta

SEPAL-SDG 15.4.2 beta is a tool to support the computation of SDG Indicator 15.4.2, namely the Mountain Green Cover Index and Proportion of Degraded Mountain Land using SEPAL This guide introduces users to SEPAL-SDG 15.4.2 beta, providing detailed instructions on setting up the tool and computing both sub-indicators step-by-step – with screenshots included for better comprehension.

Good practices in sample-based area estimation

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+), as well as greenhouse gas reporting for the agriculture, forestry and other land use sector, requires land use changes to be characterized to estimate the associated greenhouse gas emissions or absorptions. It is becoming increasingly common to generate these estimates using sample-based area estimation (SBAE). This technique has been widely used in recent years in the generation of activity data – particularly for estimating areas of deforestation – for REDD+ measuring, reporting and verification. However, implementing countries and agencies have repeatedly highlighted the lack of guidance on how to address certain frequently encountered issues with this approach. This paper seeks to enable donors, academia, and countries that currently use or want to use SBAE for generating activity data for REDD+ or for other national or international reporting purposes, to delve into current good practice and existing literature, as well as gain a better understanding of the most pressing research needs in the area. The paper moreover will give non-experts an overview of area estimation, as well as its applications and limitations.Published by FAO with the collaborative support of several partners in the Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI), the World Bank and the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the paper is expected to contribute to improved forest data.

Course: Using land-cover information to monitor progress on Sustainable Development Goal 15

This course seeks to provide a basic understanding of land-cover data and its use for monitoring progress towards the achievement of international agreed goals, such as Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15, with a practical focus on its Indicators 15.3.1 (proportion of land that is degraded over total land area) and 15.4.2 (including its subindicators: Mountain Green Cover Index and Proportion of degraded mountain land).

E-learning series: National forest inventory

The national forest inventory (NFI) e-learning series consisting of eight courses provides an overview of the key phases of an NFI, from planning to implementation, and from data gathering to reporting. The series consists of 8 courses, available in English.

How much do large-scale and small-scale farming contribute to global deforestation?

The study presented in this document expands on the work conducted during the Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) 2020 Remote Sensing Survey (RSS) and revisits the extensive dataset of areas where deforestation occurred over periods 2000–2010 and 2010–2018 to subclassify and assess deforestation drivers. Notably, considering the importance it would have in designing appropriate strategies for halting deforestation, the study assesses the share of agriculture-driven deforestation linked to small-scale and large-scale farming, both for cropping and livestock systems. The goal was not only to further characterize the global deforestation drivers in 2000–2018 but also to identify methods and tools that can help in exploring the deforestation drivers using Earth Observation – by adding more options to the original FRA RSS query and by trying to define subjective characteristics of the activities.

The world’s mangroves 2000–2020

This report provides global and regional estimates of the area covered by mangrove forests, including area changes between 2000 and 2020. It analyses the drivers of these global, regional and subregional changes for the periods 2000–2010 and 2010–2020 with the aim of improving understanding of these drivers, their interactions and how their relative importance has shifted over time. In the study that underpins this report, FAO developed and validated an easy, repeatable methodology that integrates remote sensing with local knowledge. An FAO team and 48 image interpreters worldwide collected and analysed data on mangrove area in 2020, change in mangrove area between 2000 and 2020, and the drivers of change over the two decades. It is the first global study of mangrove area to provide information on land use rather than land cover.

Unlocking the secrets of mangroves

Where land and sea meet, a unique ecosystem is found: mangrove forests. Whether offering protection from climate change, supporting livelihoods, biodiversity and more, mangroves benefit us all. In the first study of its kind, FAO, with experts around the world, uncovered a wealth of information on the extent of mangrove forests globally, as well a glimpse into what causes mangrove losses and gains. Find out more about this precious ecosystem and see how mangroves affect our daily lives.

Estimating emissions and removals from forest degradation: An overview of country experience

This booklet provides an overview of the methodological options available to countries to address these challenges while collecting the emerging experience of dozens of countries that have already reported on emissions from forest degradation internationally. The authors attempt to summarize country experiences in estimating carbon stock changes from forest degradation and their methodological options.

Institutionalization of forest data

This eLearning course intends to establish a clear path towards a more efficient and effective use of forest data, underscoring the crucial significance of institutionalizing a robust national forest monitoring system (NFMS) within countries. Additionally, it emphasizes transparency, sustainability, and data-sharing as critical pillars for the successful implementation of an NFM strategy. Published in July 2023 Available in English, soon also in Spanish and French

Sharing the experience on “Forest and land monitoring for climate action – SEPAL” facilitated course

The overall objective of this course is to support knowledge and skills development to operationally apply high-resolution satellite imagery to critical forest and land monitoring in tropical forest countries. More specifically, the course focuses on how the System for Earth Observation Data Access, Processing and Analysis for Land Monitoring (SEPAL) platform can support land and forest monitoring for climate action. This facilitated course has been adapted and made available in self-paced mode to share the content and associated resources that were developed for it, offering a comprehensive learning experience. IMPORTANT: This version of the course enables users to achieve a Digital Badge upon successfully passing the final test. It was designed and developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and was funded by Norway’s International Climate and Forests Initiative (NICFI), and the United Kingdom’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. Published in July 2023 Available in English, Spanish and French

Sharing the "Forests and Transparency under the Paris Agreement" MOOC multilingual experience

Participants learnt about the importance of forest-related data collection, analysis and dissemination in meeting the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) requirements of the Paris Agreement. This MOOC is made available here in order to share the associated materials and resources that were specifically developed for it, thus offering you a richer, more comprehensive set of learning materials than the self-paced e-learning course. Please note that this “MOOC experience” is certified: by passing the final test you can earn your Forests and Transparency Digital Badge certification! The MOOC was jointly developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and funded by the Capacity-Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) trust fund of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). Published on Dec 2021, revised June 2023. The course is available in English, Spanish and French.

Forests and Transparency under the Paris Agreement

The objective of this eLearning course is to learn about the Enhanced Transparency Framework (EFT) under the Paris Agreement. It will be useful to those wishing to understand the importance of forest-related data collection, analysis and dissemination in meeting the Enhanced Transparency Framework requirements. Originally published in June 2020. Updated in February 2023. The eLearning course is available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish

From reference levels to results: REDD+ reporting by countries. 2022 update

This report provides an overview of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) modalities for REDD+ reporting and additional technical Measurement, Reporting and Verification requirements from different standards for accessing jurisdictional REDD+ results-based payments, focusing on REDD+ reference levels and results reported, illustrating the choices countries have made when constructing their reference levels. Beyond the Green Climate Fund results-based payments pilot programme, jurisdictional REDD+ results-based payment opportunities discussed are the Carbon Fund, the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions, and Verra's Jurisdicitonal and Nested REDD standard. This publication discusses differences between REDD+ results reported to the UNFCCC and REDD+ accounting towards receiving results-based payments, especially differences in volume: 11.5 billion tCO2eq emission reductions are reported to the UNFCCC, while 146 million tCO2eq emission reductions are reported to the Carbon Fund and the Architecture for REDD+ Transactions combined. Though ER reporting to the voluntary carbon market has only recently started and may still increase, its volume is expected to be limited. Potential limiting factors are discussed. The world’s collective progress towards achieving the Paris Agreement and its long-term goals is assessed through the global stocktake. The last part of this publication shows how some countries are using REDD+ reporting to improve their NDCs, BURs and Biennial Transparency Reports. The mitigation potential of REDD+ is discussed in the context of the global stocktake exercise.

The State of the World's Forests (SOFO) 2022

The 2022 edition of The State of the World’s Forests explores the potential of three forest pathways for achieving green recovery and tackling environmental crises, including climate change and biodiversity loss against the backdrop of the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forests and Land Use and the pledge of 140 countries to eliminate forest loss by 2030 and to support restoration and sustainable production and consumption. The three interrelated pathways are halting deforestation and maintaining forests; restoring degraded lands and expanding agroforestry; and sustainably using forests and building green value chains. The balanced, simultaneous pursuit of these pathways can generate sustainable economic and social benefits for countries and their rural communities, help sustainably meet increasing global demand for materials, and address environmental challenges. The State of the World’s Forests 2022 presents evidence on the feasibility and value of the pathways and outlines initial steps that could be taken to further pursue them. There is no time to lose – action is needed now to keep the global temperature increase below 1.5 °C, reduce the risk of future pandemics, ensure food security and nutrition for all, eliminate poverty, conserve the planet’s biodiversity, and offer young people hope of a better world and a better future for all.

FRA 2020 Remote Sensing Survey

The FRA 2020 Remote Sensing survey is a global collaborative study of the Land use dynamic between the years 2000, 2010 and 2018 focused on forest and forest changes conducted by FAO. Through 34 physical and virtual workshops, more than 800 local experts from 126 countries and territories were trained, evaluated and incorporated into the FRA Remote Sensing focal point network. This unique network of remote sensing specialists collected 400.000 samples between 2019 and 2020, allowing us to derive the most updated, consistent and reliable land use statistics at global, regional and global ecological zone level.

An assessment of uptake of the Global Core Set of Forest-related Indicators

The twenty-fifth session of the Committee on Forestry (CPF) requested FAO to analyse - in collaboration with members of the CPF - the uptake of the Global Core Set of forest related Indicators (GCS) by other reporting processes and the extent to which they decrease reporting burden on countries. To respond to this request, conducted a user survey among the CPF partners and other forest data and information reporting processes. The survey received 26 responses from 22 organizations, with 100 percent coverage of CPF Members.

A guide to forest-water management

Available in English, French, Spanish The purpose of A Guide to Forest–Water Management is to improve the global information base on the protective functions of forests for soil and water. It reviews emerging techniques and methodologies, provides guidance and recommendations on how to manage forests for their water ecosystem services, and offers insights into the business and economic cases for managing forests for water ecosystem services.

Forest Kids - Biodiversity+

Forest Kids is safe to play for children and parents. The game does not include in-app purchases, and it does not collect personal data. There is also a mute button for sounds. We hope you enjoy this relaxing game and learn about the wonder of the world's forests.

Exploring our forests

See the world’s forests in a new light Take a look at our forests from two different vantage points. Along the way, you’ll get some fascinating insights into the valuable role they play in our lives.

Leaflet FAO Remote Sensing Survey reveals

The FRA 2020 Remote Sensing survey is a global collaborative study of the Land use dynamic between the years 2000, 2010 and 2018 focused on forest and forest changes conducted by FAO. Through 34 physical and virtual workshops, more than 800 local experts from 126 countries and territories were trained, evaluated and incorporated into the FRA Remote Sensing focal point network. This unique network of remote sensing specialists collected 400.000 samples between 2019 and 2020, allowing us to derive the most updated, consistent and reliable land use statistics at global, regional and global ecological zone level.

A fresh perspective Global Forest Resource Assessment 2020

This digital report contains the main findings of the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 (FRA 2020). FRA 2020 examines the status of, and trends in, more than 60 forest-related variables in 236 countries and territories in the period 1990–2020. The information provided by FRA presents a comprehensive view of the world’s forests and the ways in which the resource is changing. Such a clear global picture supports the development of sound policies, practices and investments affecting forests and forestry.

FRA platform

FAO has been monitoring the world’s forests at 5 to 10 year intervals since 1946. The Global Forest Resources Assessments (FRA) are now produced every five years in an attempt to provide a consistent approach to describing the world’s forests and how they are changing. The Assessment is based on two primary sources of data: Country Reports prepared by National Correspondents and remote sensing that is conducted by FAO together with national focal points and regional partners. The scope of the FRA has changed regularly since the first assessment published in 1948. These assessments make an interesting history of global forest interests, both in terms of their substantive content, but also in their changing scope.

Key findings Global Forest Resource Assessment 2020

Available in English, French, Russian, Spanish This publication contains the main findings of the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 (FRA 2020). The data in FRA 2020 have been obtained through a transparent, traceable, reporting process and a well- established network of officially nominated national correspondents. The information provided by FRA presents a comprehensive picture of the world's forests and the ways the resource is changing. Such a clear global picture supports the development of sound policies, practices and investements affecting forests and forestry.

Global Forest Resource Assessment 2020

Available in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish This, the latest of these assessments, examines the status of, and trends in, forest resources over the period 1990–2020, drawing on the efforts of hundreds of experts worldwide. The production of FRA 2020 also involved collaboration among many partner organizations, thereby reducing the reporting burden on countries, increasing synergies among reporting processes, and improving data consistency.

Building global capacity to increase transparency in the forest sector. Two years in numbers 2021

A brief infographic that presents activities and products of the Building global capacity to increase transparency in the forest sector (CBIT-Forest)” implemented by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and funded by the Capacity-Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) trust fund of the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Outil d’évaluation du système de suivi national des forêts : Guide rapide

L’outil d’évaluation du système de suivi national des forêts (SSNF) a été conçu dans le cadre du projet “Renforcer les capacités mondiales pour accroître la transparence dans le secteur forestier (CBIT-Forest)” mis en œuvre par l’Organisation des Nations Unies pour l’alimentation et l’agriculture (FAO) et financé par le fonds fiduciaire Initiative de renforcement des capacités en matière de transparence (CBIT) du Fonds pour l’environnement mondial (FEM). L’outil vise à aider les pays à mener une évaluation exhaustive du suivi des forêts dans trois domaines complémentaires – dispositifs institutionnels, mesure et estimation, et rapport et vérification. L’outil s’appuie sur les Directives volontaires sur le suivi national des forêts (DVSNF) de la FAO, renforcées par la REDDcompass de l’Initiative mondiale pour l’observation des forêts et incorporant la vaste expérience de terrain de la FAO du suivi des forêts dans différents contextes nationaux

Herramienta de evaluación del sistema nacional de monitoreo forestal: Guía rápida

La herramienta de evaluación del sistema nacional de monitoreo forestal (SNMF) ha sido desarrollada en el marco del proyecto “Fomento de la capacidad global para aumentar la transparencia en el sector forestal (IFCT-Bosques)”, ejecutado por la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura (FAO) y financiado por el fondo fiduciario de la Iniciativa para el Fomento de la Capacidad de Transparencia (IFCT) del Fondo para el Medio Ambiente Mundial (FMAM). La herramienta tiene por objeto ayudar a los países a llevar a cabo una evaluación completa de la capacidad de monitoreo forestal en torno a tres temas complementarios - arreglos institucionales, medición y estimación, y presentación de informes y verificación. La herramienta se basa en las Directrices Voluntarias sobre Monitoreo Forestal Nacional (DVMFN) de la FAO reforzadas por REDDcompass de la Iniciativa Mundial de Observación de los Bosques (GFOI) e incorporando la amplia experiencia sobre el terreno de la FAO en el monitoreo forestal en diferentes contextos nacionales.

National forest monitoring system assessment tool : Quick guidance

The national forest monitoring system (NFMS) assessment tool has been developed under the project “Building global capacity to increase transparency in the forest sector (CBIT-Forest)” implemented by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and funded by the Capacity-Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) trust fund of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The tool aims to assist countries in carrying out a comprehensive capacity assessment of forest monitoring across three complementary themes – institutional arrangements, measurement and estimation, and reporting and verification. The tool is based on FAO’s Voluntary Guidelines on National Forest Monitoring (VGNFM) reinforced by the REDDcompass of the Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI) and incorporating FAO’s extensive field experience of forest monitoring in different national contexts.

Vers des données sur les forêts ouvertes et transparentes pour l’action climatique: expériences et leçons apprises

«Renforcer les capacités mondiales pour accroître la transparence dans le secteur forestier (CBIT-Forest)» est un projet mené par l’Organisation des Nations Unies pour l’alimentation et l’agriculture (FAO) et financé par le fonds fiduciaire Initiative de renforcement des capacités en matière de transparence (CBIT) du Fonds pour l’environnement mondial (FEM), qui a duré deux ans et demi. Ce projet mondial a renforcé les capacités institutionnelles et techniques des pays en développement pour la collecte, l’analyse et la diffusion des données sur les forêts. Il a aidé les pays à atteindre les exigences du Cadre de transparence renforcé issu de l’Accord de Paris et apporté l’information nécessaire au suivi des progrès liés à la mise en oeuvre et à l’atteinte de leurs contributions détérminées au niveau national.

Hacia datos forestales abiertos y transparentes para la acción climática: experiencias y lecciones aprendidas

“Fomento de la capacidad global para aumentar la transparencia en el sector forestal (CBIT-Forest)” es un proyecto liderado por la Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Alimentación y la Agricultura (FAO) y financiado por el fondo fiduciario de la Iniciativa para el Fomento de la Capacidad de Transparencia (IFCT) del Fondo para el Medio Ambiente Mundial (FMAM) con una duración de dos años y medio. El proyecto global fortaleció las capacidades institucionales y técnicas de los países en desarrollo para recopilar, analizar y difundir datos relacionados con los bosques. Prestó apoyo a los países en el cumplimiento de los requisitos de MTR en virtud del Acuerdo de París y contribuyó con la información necesaria para el seguimiento de los avances relacionados con la aplicación y el logro de sus NDC.

Towards open and transparent forest data for climate action: experiences and lessons learned

“Building global capacity to increase transparency in the forest sector (CBIT-Forest)” is a project led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and financed by the Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) trust fund of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) with a lifespan of two and a half years. The global project strengthened the institutional and technical capacities of developing countries to collect, analyze and disseminate forest-related data. It supported countries in meeting the enhanced transparency framework (ETF) requirements of the Paris Agreement and contributed information necessary to track progress related to implementing and achieving their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

From reference levels to results reporting: REDD+ under the UNFCCC

This publication provides a status report on progress and achievements related to the MRV of REDD+ activities, as well as an update on activities related to countries’ submissions of theirForest Reference (Emission) Levels (FRELs/FRLs). The report also summarizes experiences with the technical assessment process, as of early 2017, and offers an overview of initial REDD+ results reporting and technical analyses of those reports.

Forest monitoring and assessment

FAO's programme dedicated to assisting countries in developing national forest monitoring systems and assessments with the objective of providing reliable forest resource information for national forest policy development, planning and sustainable management.

Global Forest Resources Assessment

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its member countries and partners will conduct a global remote sensing survey of forests. This is part of the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2010 (FRA 2010).