4.7 Forests and Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, the United Nations (UN) established 17 interlinking Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the ambition of seeing these goals achieved by 2030. Forests are home to more than 80% of terrestrial species, including plants, animals & insects. They are crucial to reducing the risk of natural disasters, including droughts, floods & other extreme events, and play a vital role in mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration. The multiple roles and functions of forests, along with other types of forests lands and woodlands, must be protected.

Due to the important and diverse role that forests play in sustainable development, the UN adopted the first-ever UN strategic plan for forests 2017-2030. This plan provides a global framework for actions to halt deforestation and forest degradation and aims to help contribute to progress across the SDGs. This demonstrates how a clear forest strategy can help to achieve the aims of not only SDG 15 Life on land but can also help achieve the goals of many other SDGs. Forests are integral to the success for the 2030 agenda in terms of biodiversity, but also the green economy among other areas.

In December 2022, agreement in principle was reached between the European Council and European Parliament on an EU Deforestation Regulation that will seek to prevent the placing or export from the EU market of seven commodities (coffee, cocoa, cattle, timber, soy, palm oil and rubber) on land where deforestation occurred. In order to align with SDG 15.2, this will apply to all relevant commodities produced after 31 December 2020. The EU Regulation 2023/1115 on the making available on the Union market and the export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation and repealing Regulation (EU) No 995/2010, is now published in the official journal on the 9th June 2023

Forests can contribute with the production of renewable and sustainable timber products, aligning with SDG12 aim of sustainable use and management of natural resources. Forests can help drive the move to a low carbon and circular economy. While the SDG12 targets and indicators make no outright or direct reference to forests or forest-related communities, forestry can still play a vital role in their achievement. Linkages can also be found, for example between agricultural commodities and sustainable forest management.

Figure from page 169