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Geneva Timber and Forest Study Papers
The Timber and Forest Study Papers encompasses sustainable forest management as well as the sound and legal use of forest products, for raw material and energy, and forest services. The objective is to assist member countries by: providing the best available information; facilitating policy dialogues and communication; and building capacity. The series is the product of a collaborative endeavour between the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Forest Products Annual Market Review 2022-2023
The Forest Products Annual Market Review 2022-2023 provides a comprehensive analysis of markets in the UNECE region and reports on the main market influences beyond the region. It covers products from the forest to the end user and from roundwood and primary processed products to value-added housing and wood energy. Statistics-based chapters analyse the markets sawn hardwood and wood-based panels. Underlying the analysis is a comprehensive collection of data. The Review highlights the role of sustainable forest products in international markets discusses policies concerning forests and forest products assesses the main trends and drivers and analyses the effects of the current economic situation on forest product markets.
Circularity Concepts in Wood Construction
When it comes to sustainability and circularity wood as a natural raw material has several advantages over other building materials. As a bio-based resource it has considerable benefits concerning greenhouse gas emissions carbon-storing thermal insulation as well as human health and well-being compared to other construction materials. New types of wood products being the result of extensive research enable the extensive use of wood in tall buildings. At the same time innovative wood products provide less manufacturing waste low carbon-emission alternatives and store massive quantities of carbon while new technologies speed construction processes promote energy efficiency and minimize waste. This study examines the benefits of wood as a construction material and discusses practices applied in the wood construction sector from the perspective of circularity sustainability and climate change mitigation. It analyses how circularity concepts can be applied in the construction industry using different construction methods and at different stages of value chains. The study describes how different construction techniques and practices contribute to the renewal and sustainability of construction value chains. The analysis is supported by examples of good practice in UNECE member States.
Forest Products Annual Market Review 2021-2022
The Forest Products Annual Market Review 2021-2022 provides a comprehensive analysis of markets in the UNECE region and reports on the main market influences beyond the region. It covers products from the forest to the end user and from roundwood and primary processed products to value-added housing and wood energy. Statistics-based chapters analyse the markets for wood raw materials sawnwood wood-based panels paper paperboard and woodpulp. Underlying the analysis is a comprehensive collection of data. The Review highlights the role of sustainable forest products in international markets discusses policies concerning forests and forest products assesses the main trends and drivers and analyses the effects of the current economic situation on forest product markets.
Reporting on Forests and Sustainable Forest Management in the Caucasus and Central Asia
Focus on Criteria and Indicators
Reporting on Forests and Sustainable Forest Management in the Caucasus and Central Asia provides an overview of status and developments in reporting on forests and sustainable forest management in five countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia (Armenia Georgia Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan). This reporting involves looking at forests in the context of the United Nations principles of sustainable development recognizing the multiple roles forests play in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Criteria and indicators are tools used to define guide monitor and assess progress towards sustainable forest management that help our understanding and inform discussions about sustainable forest management. They operate at the global regional international national subnational and even at forest management unit levels; and are a basis for informed decision making establishing national forest policy and facilitating international reporting. A flexible framework of criteria and indicators helps to develop systems adjusted to the capacities needs and conditions in which they are applied. This publication provides information about the processes and results of national efforts in building criteria and indicator sets for countries of the region.
Circularity Concepts in Forest-based Industries
The world’s prevalent economic model based on a ‘take-make-use-dispose’ approach cannot maintain and raise human standards of living without causing environmental degradation and incurring economic risks. Decoupling economic activity from the increasing demand for natural resources could be done through circular bio-based economy approaches leading to a regenerative growth model allowing humankind to reduce its environmental footprint on the planet. The forest sector situated in both the biological and technical cycles of a circular economy is well suited to embrace a circular bio-based economic model. However challenges in the overall circularity of forest-based value chains persist as a result of the sector’s traditional means of operation. To ensure the sustainability of the forest-based value chains continuous consideration and coordination of circularity at all stages of the value chains are needed. A viable starting point for this is with the principles of sustainable forest management (SFM) following by the optimized cascading use of wood at every production stage and concluding with the recovery of post-consumer wood at the end of value chains. This study analyses the existing and possible limitations to circular approaches in forest-based industries namely the woodworking industry (focusing on sawn wood processing bioenergy production and wood in construction) the furniture industry the paper and pulp industry as well as industry using cellulose-based fibres and cellulose-based plastics. The analysis provides evidence that not all circular approaches are sustainable under all circumstances. In some cases the focus on circularity may cause environmental externalities in other cases it may not guarantee economic viability. While the transition to a circular bio-based economy can be facilitated by a legislator the process will need to develop organically based on the location of industries proximity to available (waste) resources and consumer preferences.
Forest Sector Outlook Study 2020-2040
The Forest Sector Outlook 2020-2040 study for the UNECE region provides information that supports decision-making by showing the possible medium- and long-term consequences of specific policy choices and structural changes using scenario analyses whenever possible. The study is the first to cover the entire UNECE region and provides results for the main UNECE subregions of Europe North America and the Russian Federation.
Forest Products Annual Market Review 2020-2021
The Forest Products Annual Market Review 2021-2021 provides a comprehensive analysis of markets in the UNECE region and reports on the main market influences beyond the region. It covers products from the forest to the end-user and from roundwood and primary processed products to value-added housing and wood energy. Statistics-based chapters analyze the markets for wood raw materials sawnwood wood-based panels paper paperboard and wood pulp. Underlying the analysis is a comprehensive collection of data. The Review highlights the role of sustainable forest products in international markets discusses policies concerning forests and forest products assesses the main trends and drivers and analyses the effects of the current economic situation on forest product markets.
Who Owns our Forests? Forest Ownership in the ECE Region
This study examines forest ownership in the ECE region. Based on data on 35 countries and the first to include all forest ownership categories this study investigates the changing nature and patterns of forest ownership the ways in which governance and social structures influence forest owners and users as well as forest management. Within the limits of data availability and harmonization the publication provides an overview of and a new baseline for understanding the diversity and dynamics of forest ownership in the ECE region.
Forest Products Annual Market Review 2018-2019
The Forest Products Annual Market Review 2018-2019 provides a comprehensive analysis of markets in the UNECE region and reports on the main market influences outside the UNECE region. It covers the range of products from the forest to the end-user:from roundwood and primary processed products to value-added and housing. Statistics-based chapters analyse the markets for wood raw materials sawn softwood sawn hardwood wood-based panels paper paperboard and woodpulp. Other chapters analyse policies forest products trade barriers affecting the UNECE region and markets for wood energy. Underlying the analysis is a comprehensive collection of data. The Review highlights the role of sustainable forest products in international markets. Policies concerning forests and forest products are discussed as well as the main drivers and trends. The Review also analyses the effects of the current economic situation on forest products markets.
Forest Products Annual Market Review 2017-2018
The Forest Products Annual Market Review 2017-2018 provides a comprehensive analysis of markets in the UNECE region and reports on the main market influences outside the UNECE region. It covers the range of products from the forest to the end-user:from roundwood and primary processed products to value-added and housing. Statistics-based chapters analyse the markets for wood raw materials sawn softwood sawn hardwood wood-based panels paper paperboard and woodpulp. Other chapters analyse policies trade barriers affecting forest products and markets for wood energy. Underlying the analysis is a comprehensive collection of data. The Review highlights the role of sustainable forest products in international markets. Policies concerning forests and forest products are discussed as well as the main drivers and trends. The Review also analyses the effects of the current economic situation on forest products markets.
State of Forests of the Caucasus and Central Asia
Overview of Forests and Sustainable Forest Management in the Caucasus and Central Asia Region
This study presents the forest resources and the forest sector of the region including trends in and pressures on the resource to describe the policies and institutions for the forest sector in the region and to list the major challenges the sector faces and the policy responses in place or planned. It is a cooperative effort by the author the UNECE/FAO secretariat and national experts done with the use of the best available data. It covers all dimensions of sustainable forest management and includes national profiles of all countries of the region.
Forests and Water
Valuation and Payments for Forest Ecosystem Services
The objectives of this study are to further improve our understanding about the ways in which payments for ecosystem services schemes can be applied to forests in particular focusing on forest’s hydrological functions for the mutual benefit of both humans and the environment. In addition the study covers advances and challenges facing these schemes and provides practical guidance for policymakers and practitioners. This study contains the most comprehensive currently available database of case studies on forest-water related payment for ecosystem services schemes in the UNECE region.
Forest Products Annual Market Review 2016-2017
This publication provides a comprehensive analysis of markets in the UNECE region and reports on the main market influences outside the UNECE region. It covers the range of products from the forest to the end-user: from roundwood and primary processed products to value-added and housing. Statistics-based chapters analyse the markets for wood raw materials sawn softwood sawn hardwood wood-based panels paper paperboard and woodpulp. Other chapters analyse policies trade barriers affecting forest products and markets for wood energy. The Review highlights the role of sustainable forest products in international markets. It also analyses the effects of the current economic situation on forest products markets.
Forest Products Annual Market Review 2015-2016
The Forest Products Annual Market Review 2015-2016 provides a comprehensive analysis of markets in the UNECE region and reports on the main market influences outside the UNECE region. It covers the range of products from the forest to the end-user: from roundwood and primary processed products to value-added and housing. Statistics-based chapters analyse the markets for wood raw materials sawn softwood sawn hardwood wood-based panels paper paperboard and woodpulp. Other chapters analyse policies pallets and wood packaging and markets for wood energy. Underlying the analysis is a comprehensive collection of data. The Review highlights the role of sustainable forest products in international markets. Policies concerning forests and forest products are discussed as well as the main drivers and trends. The Review also analyses the effects of the current economic situation on forest products markets.
Forest Products Annual Market Review 2014-2015
The UNECE/FAO Forest Products Annual Market Review 2014-2015 provides general and statistical information on forest products markets and related policies in the UN Economic Commission for Europe region (Europe North America and the Commonwealth of Independent States). The Review begins with an overview chapter followed by analysis of government and industry policies and market-based implements affecting forest products markets. The third chapter is on institutional forestland ownership. Five chapters are based on annual country-supplied statistics describing: wood raw materials sawn softwood sawn hardwood wood-based panels and paper paperboard and woodpulp. Additional chapters discuss markets for wood energy value-added wood products and housing. In each chapter production trade and consumption are analysed and relevant material on specific markets is included. Tables and graphs provided throughout the text present summary information.
Forests in the ECE Region
Trends and Challenges in Achieving the Global Objectives on Forests
This study is the contribution of the ECE Region to the eleventh session of the UN Forum on Forests. Using the best available data it examines progress of the forest sector in the ECE Region towards the achievement of the four Global Objectives on Forests adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2007. On the basis of this assessment as well as the forest sector outlooks and policy commitments by ECE member countries thirteen major challenges for the forest sector in the region are identified and analysed. The study provides policy recommendations for consideration in the discussions by UNFF.
Forest Products Annual Market Review 2013-2014
The UNECE/FAO Forest Products Annual Market Review 2013-2014 provides general and statistical information on forest products markets and related policies in the UN Economic Commission for Europe region (Europe North America and the Commonwealth of Independent States). The Review begins with an overview chapter followed by analysis of government and industry policies and market-based implements affecting forest products markets. The third chapter is on innovation in the forest sector. Five chapters are based on annual country-supplied statistics describing: wood raw materials sawn softwood sawn hardwood wood-based panels and paper paperboard and woodpulp. Additional chapters discuss markets for wood energy value-added wood products and housing. In each chapter production trade and consumption are analysed and relevant material on specific markets is included. Tables and graphs provided throughout the text present summary information.
The Rovaniemi Action Plan for the Forest Sector in a Green Economy
The Rovaniemi Action Plan for the Forest Sector in a Green Economy adopted on 13 December 2013 in Finland describes how the forest sector in the UNECE region could lead the way towards the emerging green economy at the global level. It provides an overall vision objectives and specific activities and identifies potential actors who might contribute to achieving the stated objectives. It is not a binding plan nor does it contain prescriptive recommendations to Governments international organizations or stakeholders who are free to adopt adapt in full or in part or not to implement the Action Plan as they wish. The implementation of the Action Plan will be monitored by the UNECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section which will also explore ways and means to measure the contribution and the progress of the forest sector towards a Green Economy.
The Value of Forests
Payments for Ecosystem Services for a Green Economy
Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) describes the situation where the user of an environmental service such as water purification pays the landowners who provide that service. For PES to exist there must be a clearly defined user and supplier as well as a number of other necessary conditions which are defined in this document using a summary of current sources. Particular attention is paid to how these conditions currently obtain within the UNECE region. The range of forest environment services is explored through fourteen detailed case studies which examine best practice in promoting PES. Political and public relations implications of PES are discussed at length and recommendations include the need for clarity about where PES may be a useful tool in moving towards a green economy and where other methods may be more appropriate.
Forest Products Annual Market Review 2012-2013
This publication provides general and statistical information on forest products markets and related policies in Europe North America and the Commonwealth of Independent States. The Review begins with an overview chapter followed by analysis of government and industry policies and market-based implements affecting forest products markets. The third chapter is on innovation in the forest sector. Five chapters are based on annual country-supplied statistics describing: wood raw materials sawn softwood sawn hardwood wood-based panels and paper paperboard and woodpulp. Additional chapters discuss markets for wood energy value-added wood products and housing. In each chapter production trade and consumption are analysed and relevant material on specific markets is included. Tables and graphs provided throughout the text present summary information.