UNITED NATIONS, May 9 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) on Thursday requested those "partners and entities" that have not yet done so to integrate the United Nations strategic plan for forests - and its six global forest goals - into their work.
In a statement released during the 14th session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF), the EU highlighted that the enhancement of global forest policy coherence and a common international understanding of sustainable forest management are linked.
"A common understanding of the concept of sustainable forest management is one of the pre-conditions for enhancing global forest policy coherence and the achievement of global forest goals," it added.
Noting that the UN strategic plan for forests provides an important opportunity to further enhance coherence, coordination, and synergies on forest-related issues at all levels, the EU also recalled that a common understanding of sustainable forest management has been agreed upon by more than 40 countries across Europe.
In April 2017, the UN General Assembly adopted the first ever UN strategic plan for forests 2017-2030, which provides a global framework for actions at all levels to sustainably manage all types of forests and trees outside forests and halt deforestation and forest degradation.
At the heart of the strategic plan are six Global Forest Goals and 26 associated targets to be achieved by 2030, which are voluntary and universal.
