case studies carried out in low forest cover need to be resolved when negotiations for the countries (LCCS)in 2002 describes the next commitment period under the Kyoto challenges that LFCCs face in enhancing the role Protocol begin in 2005 of planted forests and trees outside forest outlines the causes and effects of forest Institutional framework degradation; identifies common issues; and In recent years, the forest sector has undergone suggests potential ways forward fundamental changes, largely as a result of Twenty-eight percent of the worlds closed restructuring, shifts in ownership patterns and forests are mountain forests, and their wider recognition of the multiple benefits that importance for sustainable mountain forests provide. It is expected that by 2050, development was highlighted during the of the worlds forests will be International Year of Mountains-2002. The need or owned by communities and individuals. The for better knowledge about their role in amount of support that groups and institutions mountain ecosystems was also emphasized, as receive to increase their human, physical and was the need for more integrated policies and financial capacity to take advantage of emerging management practices opportunities needs to keep pace A look at forests in the mediterranean basin Recent emphasis on environmental protection, reveals that measures must be taken to decrease food security and poverty alleviation calls for ne risk of wildfire in the northwest and to new approaches to, among other things, forestry reduce deforestation and forest degradation in education. With todays changing imperatives, the southeast. curricula need to be updated and modes of In a concerted effort to combat the negati delivery modernized. In response, groups of consequences of forest fires, environment universities are establishing consortia to offer ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian issue-driven programmes to audiences around Nations(ASEAN) signed an agreement, in June the world through courses, workshops, seminars 2002, to strengthen cooperation and reinforce and conferences preventive measures in the region. Its Decentralization of authority and other implementation will complement the efforts of responsibilities in the forest sector is expected to Project Fire Fight South East Asia, a joint increase considerably in the coming years. The initiative of the World Wide Fund for Nature State of the World,'s Forests 2003 identifies (WWF)and the World Conservation Union successful efforts to date. but also notes that (IUCN), to address harmful forest fires bette resulting changes bring risk and raise new through policy and law reforms issues In order to assess impacts more In tropical forests, the unsustainable hunting accurately, studies are under way to shed light of wild animals for meat and other products on conditions that favour and hamper remains an alarming issue. Preliminary data decentralization. Various promising approaches from ongoing studies support concerns that for sharing benefits from forest goods and wildlife, especially in Africa, is being drastically services are also highlighted, as are the reduced, posing serious threats to food security, challenges associated with their implementation. The State of the Worlds Forests 2003 emphasizes in the sector are being discussed more openy forests and their ecological integrity Issues related to illegal logging and corruption the major roles of forests in the context of climate than ever before. Governments, private industry change: as a source of carbon dioxide(co,) and non-governmental organizations(N when they are destroyed or degraded; as a are continuing their efforts to curb forest crime sensitive indicator of a changing climate; as a while policy research institutions and agencies source of biofuels for the substitution of fossil are stepping up analyses of its magnitude an fuels; and as a CO, sink, when they are managed impacts. Discussions around the world are ustainably. 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