About Forests

Forests cover one third of the earth's land mass, performing vital functions around the world. In fact, 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods. They play a key role in our battle against climate change. Forests feed our rivers and are essential to supplying the water for nearly 50% of our largest cities, including New York, Jakarta and Caracas. They help to regulate the often devastating impact of storms and floods.

In Focus

Forests and People

In the fifth issue of the UNEP Policy Series on Ecosystem Management titled "Sustaining forests: investing in our common future" the focus is on the role of forests in a green economy. The paper discusses opportunities for innovative solutions to forest management that take into account economic values of forests to human well-being.