Special Project on World Forests, Society and Environment (IUFRO-WFSE)
CALL FOR PAPERS on the theme
"Shifting global development discourses: Implications for forests and livelihoods"
Sustainable development objectives and discourse have dominated environmental and development policies and practice for the past three decades. During the last decade new narratives have emerged within these discourses with catchphrases like: "Green Economy", "Inclusive Green Growth", "Low Carbon Development", "Climate-Smart Agriculture" and "Sustainable Intensification". There is no universal consensus about the meaning of these concepts; instead they are interpreted in different ways by different actors and in various contexts. The myriad of understandings of e.g. "low carbon development", "green growth" and "green economy" cover a spectrum from narrow concerns about climate change and clean energy supply at one extreme to calls for more extensive transformative change in the global economic system for more efficient resource use at the other, which also calls for more sustainable and inclusive commodity supply with improved equity in benefit sharing.
Although their scope and horizon vary and are still unknown, these narratives suggest new rationalities and approaches to sustainable development. This call invites authors to concentrate on the role of forests in these narratives, related strategies, agendas and practice and corresponding implications for forests and livelihoods. The concept note includes guiding research questions and practical information about this call, including the time schedule.
For more information about this call contact pia.katila(at)metla.fi
WFSE is an open, global, network of scientists, experts and practitioners. It provides an independent platform for broad participation and collaboration. WFSE supports sustainable forest-related development, livelihoods and inclusive growth as well as related policy processes through international collaboration in knowledge generation and exchange. The network is steered by ten international research and development organisations and universities. The coordination is provided by the Finnish Forest Research Institute.
WFSE focuses on topics recognised by the scientific community as important and having significant policy implications but appear not to be receiving adequate attention from the policy community. WFSE addresses such topics in a holistic, interdisciplinary manner, producing science-based, future-oriented, policy-relevant information mainly focusing on two main efforts: 1) collating, critically analysing, and synthesising existing scientific knowledge on topics of international relevance in the forest, society, and environment interface in order to draw out important lessons learned and recommendations and 2) undertaking new research to fill in crucial gaps in existing knowledge.
WFSE produces and disseminates scientific publications, policy and information briefs, and capacity-building materials. Important science-based findings are presented in international forest-related meetings and conferences and disseminated to a wide audience of scientists, policy-makers and opinion leaders, professionals, and the public, including educational programs and organisations involved in forestry development activities.
All interested individuals and organisations are welcome to collaborate and contribute to the project's activities. The main criterion for accepting contributions is the scientific quality of the work.
IUFRO-WFSE gratefully acknowledges the financial support of Finnish Forest Research Institute and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland as well as the support and in-kind contributions of all IUFRO-WFSE partner organisations.
Forests under pressure – Local responses to global issues
Katila, P., Galloway, G., de Jong, W., Pacheco, P., Mery, G. (eds.). 2014. Forests under pressure – Local responses to global issues. IUFRO World Series Volume 32. Vienna. 561p.
Building on 27 case studies from different parts of the world the book focuses on conditions that foster or hinder progress towards SFM and forest-related development. The case studies use a common analytical framework of prerequisite conditions to examine the implementation of SFM. The analysis allows distinguishing prerequisite conditions and combinations of conditions that foster or constrain progress towards SFM and sustainable local development, and the interactions among these conditions.
The chapters of the book can be downloaded here.
The complete publication is available for download here.
Issue Brief: Synergistic policies and measures are the key to advancing sustainable forest management and forest-based development
Available for download here.
Desafíos de los bosques amazónicos y oportunidades para el manejo forestal comunitario
Wil de Jong y Gerardo Mery (editores). 2011. CIAS Discussion Paper 20, IUFRO Occasional Paper 25. 55 p. ISBN 978-3-902762-11-5.
Available for download here
Forest and Society – Responding to Global Drivers of Change
Mery, G., Katila, P., Galloway, G., Alfaro, R.I., Kanninen, M., Lobovikov, M. and Varjo, J. (eds.). 2010. IUFRO World Series Volume 25. Vienna. 509 p.
The chapters of the book can be downloaded here.
Summary presentations of the different chapters of the book can be downloaded here.
Forests in the Global Balance – Changing Paradigms
Gerardo Mery, René Alfaro, Markku Kanninen, Maxim Lobovikov (eds.). 2005.
IUFRO World Series Volume 17. Helsinki. 318 p.
ISBN 3-901347-55-0 ISSN 1016-3263
Summaries of "Forests in the Global Balance" chapters as Capacity Building Material, 2006
Policy Brief in 3 languages, 2005
- Policy Brief: Forests for the New Millennium – making forests work for people and nature
- Énoncé de politique: Des Forêts pour le Noveau Millénaire – des forêts à gérer dans l’intérêt des gens et la nature
- Resumen de políticas: Bosques para el Nuevo Milenio – Bosques que beneficien a la gente y sustenten la naturaleza