Daily Current Affairs : 21-September-2023
Forests are vital to the well-being of our planet and its inhabitants. They play a critical role in supporting sustainable agriculture, mitigating climate change, preserving biodiversity, and combating desertification. Recognizing their significance, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) has issued a joint call to action for forests towards 2030. This essay delves into the key points of this call, emphasizing the urgent need for global action to harness the potential of forests for the benefit of people and the planet.
The Importance of Forests
Forests, often referred to as the lungs of the Earth, serve as a cornerstone for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The CPF underscores the growing recognition of forests in:
- Supporting Sustainable Agri-food Systems: Forests contribute to food security and livelihoods by providing habitat for pollinators, maintaining soil health, and offering a source of sustenance for many communities through non-timber forest products.
- Addressing Climate Change: Forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and helping mitigate the effects of climate change. Preserving and expanding forest areas are crucial for carbon stock preservation.
- Biodiversity Conservation: Forests are home to an astonishing array of plant and animal species. Protecting forests is synonymous with preserving biodiversity and the ecosystem services it provides.
- Combating Desertification: Forests can combat desertification by stabilizing soils, preventing erosion, and enhancing local climate conditions.
Progress and Challenges
While the importance of forests is clear, urgent action is required to meet international goals and targets. These goals include increasing forest area by 3 percent worldwide by 2030, which contributes significantly to:
- Carbon Stock Preservation: Expanding forested areas helps in preserving carbon stocks, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and mitigating climate change impacts.
- Landscape Restoration: Restoring degraded landscapes through afforestation and reforestation enhances ecosystem resilience and supports sustainable land use practices.
- Resilient Ecosystems: Expanding forests contributes to resilient ecosystems that can better withstand the pressures of climate change and other environmental stressors.
Four Focal Areas for Action
The CPF outlines four focal areas that are instrumental in addressing the challenges of protecting, restoring, and sustainably managing forests:
- Strengthening Policies and Governance:
- Developing and implementing effective forest management policies and regulations.
- Promoting community-based forest management to ensure local participation and ownership.
- Improving Data Accessibility and Decision-Making Tools:
- Enhancing data collection and sharing mechanisms to monitor forest resources.
- Developing decision-making tools that facilitate sustainable forest management.
- Enhancing Finance and Investment:
- Mobilizing financial resources to support sustainable forest management.
- Encouraging private sector investment in responsible forestry practices.
- Bolstering Communication and Awareness:
- Raising public awareness about the importance of forests through education and outreach.
- Promoting collaboration and knowledge-sharing among stakeholders to amplify the message.
Important Points:
Certainly! Here are the most important points from the essay presented as a bullet-point list:
Importance of Forests:
- Forests are crucial for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- They support sustainable agriculture, combat climate change, preserve biodiversity, and prevent desertification.
Progress and Challenges:
- Urgent action is needed to increase global forest area by 3% by 2030.
- This contributes to carbon stock preservation, landscape restoration, and resilient ecosystems.
Four Focal Areas for Action:
- Strengthening Policies and Governance:
- Develop and implement effective forest management policies.
- Promote community-based forest management.
- Improving Data Accessibility and Decision-Making Tools:
- Enhance data collection and sharing for forest monitoring.
- Develop tools for sustainable forest management decisions.
- Enhancing Finance and Investment:
- Mobilize financial resources for sustainable forest management.
- Encourage private sector investment in responsible forestry.
- Bolstering Communication and Awareness:
- Raise public awareness about forest importance.
- Promote collaboration and knowledge-sharing among stakeholders.
Why In News
The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) has issued a resounding call to action for the global community, underscoring the pressing imperative of united efforts to unlock the boundless potential of forests for the betterment of both humanity and the environment. As we approach 2030, the CPF’s call serves as a rallying cry, compelling us to take immediate and decisive action in safeguarding and harnessing the invaluable resources that forests offer to our world.
MCQs about Harnessing Forests for a Sustainable Future
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What is the urgent action needed regarding global forest area by 2030?
A. Increase forest area by 3 percent worldwide
B. Reduce forest area by 10 percent worldwide
C. Maintain the current forest area
D. Decrease forest area by 5 percent worldwide
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Which of the following is not one of the four focal areas for action ?
A. Strengthening Policies and Governance
B. Enhancing Data Accessibility and Decision-Making Tools
C. Reducing Public Awareness
D. Bolstering Communication and Awareness
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What is the significance of forests acting as “carbon sinks,” ?
A. Forests emit large amounts of carbon dioxide.
B. Forests absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
C. Forests have no impact on carbon dioxide levels.
D. Forests release carbon dioxide during deforestation.
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