As the COVID pandemic continues to spread around the globe, multiple impacts become visible. This will affect forests and forestry in many ways. Businesses are disrupted along almost all value chains. People are losing jobs and income, and some migrate back to rural areas. There is also an increased risk of further deforestation and degradation of the natural resource basis from which people make their living – with long-term negative consequences to producers and society.
Forestry and forest-based sectors have a key role to play in providing solutions. Forests act as safety nets for the most vulnerable members of society, providing food, subsistence and income in times of scarcity and thereby increasing resilience to shocks such as the current one. With the right incentives, they can provide sustainable jobs and income and become a source of economic prosperity and sustainable development. Find more information on the impacts of COVID-19 on the forest sector here.
The COVID-19 Forestry Webinar Week, taking place from 22 to 25 June 2020, will assess impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on people and forests; identify and discuss possible responses that help mitigate impacts on people and forests and help address the situation in the short term. At the same time, this webinar aims to contribute to building a more resilient and sustainable future; to propose follow-up actions, including policy dialogue and resource mobilisation and actions that will enable the forest sector to help rebuild sustainable and resilient societies by building back better.
To participate in these virtual events, follow this link (Password: 419886)
