Today, over 1.6 billion people are dependent on forests for their livelihoods. Rich in biodiversity, forests are also essential in supplying water to nearly half of the world's largest cities. Yet despite such vital services, the world is losing its forests at an alarming rate, with some 5.2 million hectares being cut down each year.
UNEP's Forests in a Green Economy report - to be launched on 5 June in New Delhi and Nairobi - details the economic, environmental, health and social benefits of investing in forests and how better management of the 'lungs of the Earth' can help achieve sustainability for communities across the world. The report will be launched during this year's World Environment Day (WED) celebrations, which are taking place under the theme 'Forests: Nature at Your Service'. The UN has also declared 2011 as the International Year of Forests.
UNEP's Green Economy Report - launched last February - identified forests as one of ten key sectors which, with sufficient investment and enabling policies, can help accelerate the transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient green economy. This latest report examines in greater detail how public and private investments, transfers between developed and developing countries and other financial models can help realize the full contribution of forests to the global economy, poverty eradication, health and the fight against climate change.
Source: UNEP
