proposal to update the pan-european set of indicators for ... · 4. proposal to update the...

20-22 January 2015 Santiago de Compostela

Expert Level Meeting for the preparations of the 7th FOREST EUROPE Ministerial Conference

Proposal to Update the

pan-European set of Indicators for

Sustainable Forest Management

4. Proposal to Update the pan-European set of Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management

1. Introduction (1/2)

� In the Oslo Ministerial Decision: European Forests 2020 the ministers decided on the action: Further development of sustainable forest management and its tools.

� A Expert Group to Propose Improvements in Tools for SFM considered a priority to concentrate first on the necessity to update the indicators for SFM within the framework of the existing criteria, before revising other tools.

� To start such approach a subgroup of those experts contributed to the Liaison Unit's work on preparing a proposal for updating the pan-European set of indicators to be discussed at a Round Table Meeting last November 2014, that agreed on a step by step approach, and gave recommendations on the proposal to update the pan-European set.

The document ELMS/2015/1/ Proposal Updating Indicators provides a summary of the recommendations and proposals to update the pan-European set of Indicators made for the consideration and approval of the ELM, as part of the preparations for the 7th Ministerial Conference.


1. Introduction (2/2)

Structure and content of the Proposal to Update the pan-European set of Indicators for Sustainable Forest (UPI Proposal)

� Objectives for the pan-European C&I for SFM

� Guiding principles and considerations for the updating process

� Other recommendations for updating the set of pan-European indicators: desirable uses of the pan-European set of Indicators (key indicators, subsets of indicator) and structure of the set (linkage between quantitative and qualitative indicators, characterization of the indicators)

� Roadmap on the updating of the pan-European indicators of SFM

Annex 1: Draft Terms of Reference for the work of a FOREST EUROPE Advisory Group on the updating of the pan-European Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management


2. Objectives for the pan-European C&I for SFM (1/2)

� Necessity of having an explicit set of objectives upon which to base the implementation of the pan-European C&I for SFM.

� Based on the recommendation of the CI-SFM EFI project (Working definition).

The aim of the pan-European criteria and indicator set, or a national set derived from it, is to carry out one or more of the following objectives (or functions):

1. Provide a framework for policy dialogue and communication on forests and sustainable forest management at global, regional, national and sub-national levels between policy makers, relevant stakeholders of different sectors, and society as a whole;

2. Monitor, assess and report on the state and trends of forests, their management and use, and the forest sector, including providing information on progress in the further development of sustainable forest management, and to identify areas of concern;


2. Objectives for the pan-European C&I for SFM (2/2)

The aim of the pan-European criteria and indicator set, or a national set derived from it, is to carry out one or more of the following objectives (or functions) (cont.):

3. Provide a framework for those who develop, implement, monitor and evaluate national forest programmes or equivalents, policies and plans, laws and improve forest sector governance;

4. Provide information and assessment for analysis about forests and their use to other sectors, and global and regional initiatives and processes.

5. Provide a framework to support the practical implementation of sustainable forest management.


3. Guiding principles and considerations for the updating process (1/4)

The process for updating the pan-European indicators for SFM will take place within the framework of the existing six criteria and taking into account a diverse set of principles and considerations to guide the updating process.

Guiding principles for the updating of indicators process set:

a. The set should aim for a balance between the three pillars of sustainable forest management: ecology, economy and socio-cultural aspects.

b. The set should be political relevant and contribute to achieving the agreed objectives. Each indicator should contribute to at least one of the objectives.

c. The meaningfulness, data availability, feasibility and reliability, and the cost–benefit ratio of each indicator and of the set as a whole should be explicitly considered.



Guiding principles for the updating of indicators process set (cont.):

d. A long-term approach.

e. Avoid radical changes in indicators and their specifications in order to be able to use historically data and analyses.

f. The links between the quantitative and qualitative indicators (overall policy, instruments and institutions) should be strengthened, enhancing the policy relevance of the different quantitative indicators.



Operational considerations for the updating of indicators process set:

a. The updating process should start from the existing indicator set and relevant experience. Stakeholders, notably national correspondents and relevant international data providers, should be consulted throughout the updating.

b. The set should be designed to generate enough meaningful information to satisfy the agreed objectives without excessive volumes of data not needed for those purposes.

c. The updating should aim to keep the set within a reasonable number of indicators, keeping in mind reporting burdens of the countries.

d. Indicators should make best use of secondary data from other sources, keeping in mind the need for time series, and reporting mechanisms where these exists.



Operational considerations for the updating of indicators process set (cont.):

e. Remove indicators when it is obvious that data will not be available or reliable. Nevertheless, weak data availability or low quality of the data should not, by itself, be a reason for dropping an indicator if it is meaningful and there is the potential for it to develop usable information.

f. Promote a common understanding and work towards further harmonization in the terms, definitions and parameters, also taking into account other commitments and requirements of other processes.

g. The changes proposed for the update should be realistic and feasible for the countries to accept and should have added value.


4. Other recommendations for updating the set (1/2)

Other recommendations for the updating of the pan-European set of indicators for SFM were presented by the experts but not thoroughly discussed at the RTM.

Uses of the pan-European set of Indicators:

The experts considered that it is desirable to have not only the whole set of indicators but also:

a. key indicators: a core set of key indicators to be agreed on at pan-European level for policy makers, for communication and to enable the proper assessment of SFM; and

b. subsets of indicators: to develop within the framework of the general indicator set, subsets of indicators to address specific policy questions, emerging issues, and to foster communication, especially with other sectors.

The participants of the RTM pointed out the added value of having such core and subset of indicators, but generally recommend to possibly develop such tools at a further step.


4. Other recommendations for updating the set (2/2)

Structure of the set

The experts also proposed to update the structure of the pan-European set of Criteria and Indicators in two ways:

c. establishing links between quantitative and qualitative indicators, that could analyse quantitative indicators according to the policies and instruments as descriptive explanation; and

d. addressing a characterization of the indicators, according to different types of classification as context, status and response indicators.


5. Roadmap on the updating of the pan-European indicators of SFM (1/2)

The experts and participants of the RTM recommend different approaches for a possible roadmap to the updating process, including:

� A participatory process with focal points and stakeholders

• 1st Online consultation on needs and updates proposals (Already

launched, it will last till the end of January)

• 2nd Online consultation on the draft updated set (March 2015)

• Workshop to refine the final updated proposal to be presented to the ELM (April/May 2015)

� An Advisory Group composed of representatives from countries, stakeholders and experts


5. Roadmap on the updating of the pan-European indicators of SFM (2/2)

Timeline Meetings Participatory process / Reports

Jan Early First Online Consultation (1st OC) with FOREST EUROPE

focal points (Deadline 30 Jan) Mid

Late ELM 20-22 Jan 15

Feb Early AG meeting/s (at least one

face to face meeting at the

beginning of February)

Other possible ad hoc

meetings (tbc between

January and April 2015)

Mid

Late First AG UPI Report

Mar

Early

Early Second Online Consultation (2nd OC) with FOREST EUROPE

focal points

(Launch: Early-March. Deadline: First April)

Mid

Late

Apr Early

Mid

Late Workshop with National Correspondents and stakeholders to refine the updating proposal (End

May Early

Mid

Late Final AG UPI Report

Jun Early

Mid

Late ELM end June/beginning July Adoption of the UPI


First Online Consultation for updating the pan-European indicators for sustainable forest management

First UPI Online Consultation

Consulting countries, observers and stakeholders about:

� Necessities and demands on modifications of the current set of pan-European indicators for Sustainable Forest Management.

Draft UPI Table: Quantitative and qualitative indicators

� National and stakeholder’s desirability on having at regional level other uses of the set of indicators, as key indicators and subset of indicators

Questionnaire on possible additional elements to the set of indicators

Delegates who attended the RTM emphasized that the updating process must be based on relevant experience, and therefore national correspondents and observers, relevant international data providers, stakeholders, and also experts from other sectors (biodiversity, climate change, bioenergy and others); have to be consulted at an early stage and throughout the updating process.

Deadline 30th January!


Annex 1: Draft Terms of Reference for the work of a FOREST EUROPE Advisory Group on the updating of the pan-European Indicators for SFM

� Composition

� Purpose and scope

�Main references for work

�Output and timeline

�Guiding principles for work

�Working modalities



� Composition: representatives from countries, stakeholders and experts with experience in the field of indicators and forest policy.

� Purpose: to elaborate proposals for updating the existing set of pan-European indicators for sustainable forest management.

� Scope: Work on improving the pan-European indicators should comprise an update of the whole set of indicators; contrasting technical and political dimensions of the indicators and addressing demands coming from the forest sector as well as other sectors.



�Main references for work

o Improved Pan-European Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management (Vienna 2002), and related background information and relevant definitions of the indicators.

o FOREST EUROPE “Ad-hoc Working Group on sustainability criteria for forest biomass production, including bioenergy” (2009).

o C-I EFI Project, “Implementing criteria and indicators for sustainable forest management in Europe" (December 2013).

o FOREST EUROPE Expert Group to propose improvements in tools for sustainable forest management (Final Report 2014).

o Work on the pan-European reporting on the States of Europe’s Forests (SoEF) conducted by FOREST EUROPE/UNECE/FAO in the years 2003, 2007 and 2011, and the preparations for the next SoEF 2015.



�Main references for work (cont.)

o Work done on the collaborative process on the elaboration of the CFRQ (Collaborative Forest Resources Questionnaire) within the preparations for the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015 (GFRA).

o Information related with initiatives and works by ECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section and Team of Specialists on Monitoring SFM.

o Other regional and international on-going activities:

• EU ‘Ad Hoc Working Group on Sustainable Forest Management Criteria’

• FAO project ‘Strengthening Criteria and Indicators for SFM in Policy and Practice’.

• Work and developments related to indicators of sustainable forest management in other regional or global processes (such as development of SDG CBD , UN-FCCC , CCD , UNFF )



� Output and timeline

o First draft will be considered by countries and stakeholders through an online consultation

o Second draft report will be considered by countries and stakeholders in a Workshop.

o Final report will be presented an Expert Level Meeting to be held in June/July 2015.

� Guiding principles for work: Work on the improvement of indicators will be guided by the objectives and principles as endorsed by the ELM in January 2015



�Working modalities

o The work of the Advisory Group will be conducted in close co-ordination with the Liaison Unit Madrid. The work to elaborate proposals could be efficiently conducted through e-mail exchanges, virtual meetings and at least one face-to-face meeting.

o The work would be enhanced by gathering the considerations from national correspondents and stakeholders through online consultations and at least convening a workshop to finalize the draft report to be presented to the ELM in June/July 2015. An external consultant will assist the Liaison Unit Madrid and the Advisory Group in the work.

o The Advisory Group will report to the GCC in the period between the two Expert Level Meetings.


The process to update the pan-European set of indicators for SFM should be built on former and on-going work, taking into account lessons learned, experiences and the international momentum on C&I SFM

EFI Project C&I (2013)

SoEF2011/2015

Climate change

Biodiversity

Biomass / Bioenergy

FE-AHWG Sustainability Criteria (2009)

UPI Proposal

Others sectors / thematic areas

International momentum on C&I SFM

• The new EU Forest Strategy: Ad Hoc Working Group on Sustainable Forest Management Criteria. June 2015

• FAO’s global project on “Strengthening C&I for SFM in Policy and Practice”. 2014-2015

• FOREST EUROPE working programme. 2012-2015

ECE/FAO ToS

20-22 January 2015 Santiago de Compostela

Expert Level Meeting for the preparations of the 7th FOREST EUROPE Ministerial Conference

Thank you for your attention

Proposal to Update the

pan-European set of Indicators for

Sustainable Forest Management

proposal to update the pan-european set of indicators for ... · 4. proposal to update the...

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