International Organizations and Institutions
The Forestry Programme website of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) offers online access to the programme's statistical, textual and graphical database, to Unasylva, the quarterly international journal of forestry and forest industries, and to the current issue of State of the World's Forests.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is a financial mechanism established to support sustainable development in support of the post-rio process. The trust fund, hosted by the World Bank and implemented by UNDP, UNEP and the World Bank, supports projects relating to biodiversity, climate change, water and ozone. GEF supports projects in protection, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in forest areas.
The International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) is based on a commodity agreement initiated by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Agricultural Development (UNCTAD). ITTO facilitates discussion, consultation and international co-operation on issues related to the international trade and utilization of tropical timber and the sustainable management of its resource base. The website offers various information about current trade-related issues, ongoing project work, a policy development series and events.
The International Center for Rainforest Conservation and Development (IVOCRAMA) is responsible for the management, conservation and sustainable development of a Guyanan tropical forest dedicated to the international community by the Commonwealth Secretariat. The project aims to demonstrate how tropical forests can provide economic benefit while conserving biodiversity and promoting cross-cutting programmes focused on forest research as well as information and communication. The website details the Centre's experience and current work.
The Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE) is an ongoing initiative for co-operation between around 40 European countries to address common threats and opportunities related to forests and forestry. This process is constituted by a chain of political level conferences and mechanisms for the follow-up work. The website of the liaison unit in Vienna offers access to the documents and resolutions from the conferences, publications and Forest Europe, the MCPFE Newsletter.
The World Bank's Forests Team website offers an overview of the Bank's Forest Strategy and forest-related Bank programs, events and projects. It also overviews work the Bank is doing through partnerships, including PROFOR abd the World Bank/WWF Alliance.
The World Conservation Union (IUCN) brings together countries, government agencies, affiliates, scientists and experts worldwide to influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve the integrity and diversity of nature by preparing and implementing national conservation and biodiversity strategies. The IUCN Forest Conservation Programme (FCP) links policy with practice by implementing field-based projects that test and demonstrate key forest management and conservation issues. The website gives specific information on the programme's activities and publications.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the successor to GATT and was set up in 1995 to ensure free global trade. The WTO holds a Committee on Trade and Environment to enclose environmental and sustainable development issues into the mainstream of the Organizations work. Forest Matters are
