Bonn, Germany – 18 June 2024 - The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) proudly announces the release of its flagship publication, Forest Futures. This pivotal work leverages current scientific research to assess the state of the world’s forests and explore their potential for profound change. It underscores the vital role of forest stewardship in fostering resilient and healthy ecosystems.
Forest Futures provides an in-depth analysis of today’s forests, addressing critical issues such as biodiversity loss, the ability of forests to support livelihoods, and the urgent need to tackle the climate crisis. It sheds light on the shared understanding of forest stewardship and highlights how this approach has been undervalued by many decision-makers as a viable solution to these global challenges.
Envisioning the forests of the future
To explore three potential trajectories for the world's forests by 2050, FSC collaborated with Reos Partners, renowned for their expertise in systems-change studies and transformative scenarios mapping. Input from over 200 stakeholders helped identify four key drivers influencing forest management, conservation, and sustainable use. Leveraging these drivers, the three distinct trajectories were outlined and mapped out. These drivers are (1) Forests & Planet, (2) People, (3) Economy & Markets, and (4) Governance. These trajectories, developed through an innovative modelling exercise, demonstrate the profound impact that different levels of commitment to forest stewardship can have on our planet.
"Forests are at the heart of our environmental and socio-economic future," said Kim Carstensen, Director General of FSC. "Our flagship publication demonstrates that by embracing forest stewardship, we can unlock their potential for positive change. This is not just about preserving forests, but about enhancing their role in addressing global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and social inequity".
FSC continues to lead the way toward a future where forests can thrive, advocating for responsible forest management practices that meet societal needs while preserving ecological integrity. Future Forests calls for transformative change, offering a tangible strategy for achieving environmental targets. It urges governments, businesses, NGOs, and other key actors to join in creating a future where forests flourish, communities thrive, and our planet achieves harmony.
Read the full publication here.
About the Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC®)
FSC is a non-profit organization that provides a proven sustainable forest management solution. Currently, over 150 million hectares of forest worldwide is certified according to FSC standards. It is widely regarded as the most rigorous forest certification system among NGOs, consumers, and businesses alike to tackle today’s deforestation, climate, and biodiversity challenges. The FSC forest management standard is based on ten core principles designed to address a broad range of environmental, social and economic factors. FSC’s “check tree” label is found on millions of forest-based products and verifies that they are sustainably sourced, from forest to consumer. www.fsc.org.