World Forestry Congress adopts Seoul Forest Declaration: – INSIGHTSIAS

GS Paper 3:

Topics Covered: Conservation related issues.

 

Context:

The Seoul Forest Declaration was an outcome of the discussions held at the recently concluded XV World Forestry Congress in Seoul, South Korea.

• This was the second congress held in Asia, with Indonesia hosting the first Congress in Asia in 1978.

 

About World Forestry Congress:

• The World Forestry Congress is held approximately once every six years.
• The first Congress was held in Italy in 1926.
• The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has helped host countries organize the Congress since 1954.
• Responsibility for the organization and financing of each Congress lies with the host country.
• Theme for 2022: Building a Green, Healthy and Resilient Future with Forests.

 

What is WFC? What is it not?

The Congress is not an intergovernmental meeting; it has no formal constituencies nor country delegations.

• The Congress is a forum for the exchange of views and experiences on all aspects of forests and forestry, which may lead to the formulation of broad recommendations applicable at national, regional and global levels.

 

Seoul Forest Declaration:

• It identifies priority areas with potential to lead to a green, healthy and resilient future.
• It urges that responsibility for forests should be shared and integrated across institutions, sectors and stakeholders.
• Investment in forest and landscape restoration globally needs to triple by 2030.
• Move towards a circular bioeconomy and climate neutrality.

 

Other outcomes of XV World Forestry Congress:

New partnerships launched:

1. The Assuring the Future of Forests with Integrated Risk Management (AFFIRM) Mechanism.
2. The Sustaining an Abundance of Forest Ecosystems (SAFE) initiative.

 

What is Forest landscape restoration?

• It is the ongoing process of regaining ecological functionality and enhancing human well-being across deforested or degraded forest landscapes.
• FLR is more than just planting trees – it is restoring a whole landscape to meet present and future needs and to offer multiple benefits and land uses over time.

 

InstaLinks:

Prelims Link:

1. What is FLR?
2. What is WFC?
3. About Seoul Forest Declaration.
4. AFFIRM mechanism.
5. SAFE initiative.

Mains Link:

Forest restoration is one of the key elements of climate mitigation strategies. In this context, examine the measures taken in restoring degraded forest landscape in India.

 

[Q.3) Seoul Forest Declaration, which was in news recently, is an outcome of:

1. 1. 1. World Forestry Congress meeting.
      2. UNCCD meeting.
      3. FAO meeting.
      4. None of the above. ]

 

Sources: the Hindu.