The United Nations Forum on Forests?convenes its twentieth session (UNFF20) from 5 to 9 May?at UN Headquarters in New York to advance global dialogue on the world’s forests.

, the Forum is the only intergovernmental body with universal membership dedicated to forest policy.

It brings together Member States, UN system entities, regional and subregional organizations, major groups, and other stakeholders to promote the sustainable management of all types of forests and to build long-term political commitment at the highest levels.

Over more than two decades, the Forum has evolved into a central actor in global forest policy, spearheading the global consensus on forest related issues by adopting global policy frameworks, and commitments on forests s such as the UN Forest Instrument, the Global Forest Goals, and the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2017–2030.

The United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests established six voluntary Global Forest Goals and 26 targets aimed at reversing deforestation, increasing forest benefits, promoting governance, and enhancing cooperation and financing mechanisms.

To address critical issues related to financing forests, United Nations Forum on Forests also created the , which assists countries in designing forest financing strategies and accessing funds from multilateral funding institutions.

Through support from the Trust Fund and collaboration with its 16-member , the Forum has facilitated national forest policy development, knowledge exchange, and advocacy linking forests to biodiversity, climate, land restoration, and sustainable development, and promoted coherent, and collaboration on forests at the regional and global levels.

UNFF20 at a Glance

UNFF20 is a technical session focused on three Global Forest Goals:

  • GFG 1: Reversing the loss of forest cover

  • GFG 3: Increasing protected and sustainably managed forests

  • GFG 5: Promoting forest governance and legal frameworks

Sessions will feature technical discussions on voluntary national contributions, forest-related interlinkages with the SDGs and Rio Conventions, monitoring, and reporting on the implementation of the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests, and communication strategies, including the International Day of Forests 2025.

Special panels will address emerging issues such as dryland forests, the valuation of ecosystem services, and the proposal for a global hub on forest financing data and knowledge.

Looking Ahead

UNFF20 comes at a pivotal moment, following the 2024 midterm review of the international arrangement on forests. The session will inform the Forum’s next policy deliberations in 2026 and set the stage for stronger global forest action.

The momentum remains strong: to keep forests high on the global agenda and to ensure their role as essential contributors to climate resilience, biodiversity, livelihoods, and sustainable development.

?