At its final session in March 1997, the intergovernmental panel on forests, IPF, encouraged countries and international agencies concerned to strengthen ongoing activities aimed at sustainable forest management within the framework of national forest programmes, and to promote the technical and scientific examination, testing and adaptation of internationally, regionally, subregionally and nationally agreed criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management.
In June 1997, the special session of the general assembly of the United Nations established the intergovernmental forum on forests, IFF, to continue the international forest policy dialogue and in particular identify the possible elements of and work towards a consensus on international arrangements and mechanisms, for example, a legally binding instrument on all types of forests, and report to the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development in April 2000.
Ireland is a member of the CSD, Commission on Sustainable Development, and has been an active participant in the IPF and IFF. The IFF programme covers three years and my Department, together with the Department of Foreign Affairs have agreed to contribute to the financial running of the secretariat for the period of the programme. The first session, IFF 1, was held in New York in October 1997 to decide on its schedule and programme of work. The second session, IFF 2, was held in Geneva in August-September 1998 and the third session, IFF 3, at which my Department will be represented will be held in Geneva in May 1999. IFF 3 will in the main address the outstanding issues from IFF 2. These are: category I reporting on progress on the implementation of the IFF recommendations; category II (IIa) the need for financial resources; (IIb) trade and environment; (IIc) transfer of technology; (IId) issues needing further clarification; category III future international arrangements and mechanisms, including a global convention on forests.
In the context of the IFF the above issues are matters of EU competence and are being addressed by the EU Commission. To date only limited progress has been achieved at IFF 2 and consequently Ireland has nothing to date to implement in the context of IFF. However, in a national context, substantial progress is being made in the introduction of sustainable forestry management for forests.