TEHRAN — Iran is participating in the 24th session of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Committee on Forestry (COFO 24), being held in Rome, Italy, from July 16 to 20, IRIB reported on Tuesday.

The 24th session of COFO and the 6th World Forest Week will explore the contributions that forests can make to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Head of Iran’s Forests, Range, and Watershed Management Organization Khalil Aqaei, heading the Iranian delegation, has explained that over the course of the event Iranian officials are scheduled to meet with FAO officials and discuss issues related to fighting forest pests and tree diseases as well as efforts needed to be exerted to combat desertification. 

Mentioning the fact that some 14 million hectares of Iran is covered with forests, Aqaei explained that schemes to protect and restore forest are high on agenda.

Forests and the Sustainable Development Goals

According to FAO website the Committee on Forestry will examine what contributions forests can make to achieving the SDGs and other internationally agreed goals; explore ways and means to accelerate progress, in particular, towards Goal 15; discuss actions for implementing the policy recommendations of the Committee on World Food Security regarding the contributions of forests to food security and nutrition; review opportunities and challenges for urban and peri-urban forestry; consider the implementation of FAO’s climate change strategy and specific tasks related to forest resilience, health and forest fires; and provide strategic direction for the future work of FAO in forestry.

Forests and trees contribute to human livelihoods far more than is commonly known, playing crucial roles in food security, drinking water, renewable energy and rural economies.  They provide around 20 percent of income for rural households in developing countries - notably more in many areas - and fuel for cooking and heating for one in every three people around the world.

Unfortunately time is running out for the world's forests, whose total area is shrinking by the day, warns a new FAO report urging governments to foster an all-inclusive approach to benefit both trees and those who rely on them.

Halting deforestation, managing forests sustainably, restoring degraded forests and adding to worldwide tree cover all require actions to avoid potentially damaging consequences for the planet and its people.

Clear legal frameworks regarding forest tenure rights, applauds the growing trend in local governance, and calls for effective partnerships and private sector engagement to pursue sustainable development goals. Given that deforestation is the second leading cause of climate change after burning fossil fuels it is of key importance that all countries corporate responsibility for zero deforestation.

MQ/MG