National reports
Monitoring, assessment, and reporting are core functions of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF). Voluntary national reports are crucial for evaluating progress toward implementing the UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2030 and the United Nations Forest Instrument, both of which serve as key frameworks for advancing sustainable forest management worldwide.
Advisory Group on Reporting
To enhance the reporting process, the Economic and Social Council introduced measures such as:
- Establishing an Advisory Group on Reporting, based on lessons learned from the Global Forest Goals Report 2021.
- Endorsing a timeline for the next reporting cycle (2024–2026) under ECOSOC resolution 2024/15.
The terms of reference of the Advisory Group are contained in the note by the Secretariat to the Forum at its eighteenth session (E/CN.18/2023/5).
Current Reporting Cycle: 2024–2026
Key events in the current cycle include:
- Launch of the online reporting platform and distribution of the reporting format by January 2025.
- June 2025 is the deadline for national report submissions.
The reporting platform will be available in English, Spanish, and French and National Focal Points will receive dedicated access links for submission and collaboration. Explanatory notes aimed at supporting the preparation of national reports are now available. To provide further support, a capacity-building workshop will be held from 18 to 20 March 2025, at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, Kenya.
Past Reporting and Assessments
The first reporting cycle (2019–2020) focused on implementing the UN Strategic Plan for Forests. Insights from the inaugural reports and FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020 informed the Global Forest Goals Report 2021, which highlighted:
- Success stories from member states.
- Ongoing challenges requiring further action.