At the behest of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), a high-level panel will assess how forest-based innovations, resource efficiency, forest products and ecosystem services can contribute to a sustainable lifestyle.

FAO stresses the importance of encouraging multiple initiatives at the local, national and international levels to organize activities related to forests, such as tree-planting campaigns.

Data from the entity indicate that forests cover 31 percent of the world’s land surface, store an estimated amount of carbon at 296 gigatons and are home to most of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity.

They are sources of fiber, fuel, food and fodder, and provide livelihoods for millions of people, including many of the world’s poorest people.

They also contribute to mitigating climate change and improving the quality of soil, air and water, and if managed sustainably, forests are also a source of renewable raw materials

The FAO Forest Programme, which comprises over 230 projects in 82 countries, seeks to generate a transformative impact that benefits forests and the people who depend on them, and contribute to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Goals of Sustainable development.

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