EU Statement – UN General Assembly: International Day of Forests 2026

EU Statement - UN General Assembly: International Day of Forests 2026

24 March 2006, New York - Statement by the European Union and its Member States delivered by Roderick Harte, First Secretary, EU Delegation to the UN, at the UN General Assembly event on International Day of Forests 2026

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am speaking on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.

Thank you for organising today's event.

We welcome the 2026 International Day of Forests theme "Forests and Economies". We underscore the essential contribution of sustainably managed forests to environmental integrity, social well-being, and economic development in line with the UN Strategic Plan for Forests, the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement, the UNCCD Strategic Framework and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

Sustainably managed forests provide critical functions for society and the environment. They contribute directly to economic opportunities through a diverse range of wood and non-wood forest products and services, including the conservation and restoration of biodiversity, protection of water resources and other environmental services, ecotourism and other activities that support rural economies. These contributions align with the promotion of bioeconomy, based on sustainable forest management and benefit from cross-sectoral cooperation.

We underline our continued commitment to enhance efforts towards halting and reversing deforestation and forest degradation by 2030. We also stress the importance of promoting and implementing sustainable forest management, maintaining and increasing protected areas, and enhancing restoration of degraded ecosystems, as reflected in the Global Forest Goals.

Recognizing forests' cross-cutting importance for global objectives, we will continue to support efforts that promote all functions of forests, encourage sustainable, diversified forest-based livelihoods and value chains, and advance cooperation with partners, including FAO and the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, consistent with the approaches highlighted in previous UNFF sessions.

I thank you.