Dubai, 6 December 2023 – In the context of the Paris Agreement, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration on Forest and Land Use, and the ministerial calls on sustainable wood made at the XV World Forestry Congress, Seoul (May 2022) and the One Forest Summit, Libreville (March 2023), and under the auspices of the Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership (FCLP) and in close liaison with the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC):
A coalition of 17 countries – Commonwealth of Australia, Canada, Republic of Congo, Republic of Costa Rica, Republic of Fiji, Republic of Finland, Republic of France, Federal Republic of Germany, Republic of Ghana, Japan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Korea, Kingdom of Norway, Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Kingdom of Sweden, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America – have endorsed the following statement:1
Recognizing that wood from sustainably managed forests provides climate solutions within the construction sector, we commit to, by 2030, advancing policies and approaches that support low carbon construction and increase the use of wood from sustainably managed forests in the built environment. Such policies and approaches will result in reduced GHG emissions, and an increase in stored carbon.
The FCLP’s mission is to accelerate global progress to halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030, while delivering sustainable development and promoting an inclusive rural transformation. In the transition to a sustainable and circular bioeconomy, which will increase demand for bio-based materials, governments have a range of tools with which to build and/or influence the conditions that enable the sustainable and efficient production and use of wood and other bio-based materials in construction. The public sector has a significant role to play in advancing the green construction agenda, including through their role as facilitators of change and enhanced through international cooperation.
The coalition intends to work with non-government partners to responsibly accelerate action and scale up impact in the following areas:
- Advancing public policies and enabling regulatory frameworks that support sustainable wood production. Priority actions include: (i) identifying, developing, and updating regulations and forest monitoring and decision-support systems needed to ensure sustainable management of forests and associated wood supply, and fibre security, and (ii) sharing the knowledge system more widely with other countries.
- Advancing public policies and enabling regulatory frameworks that reduce barriers for increased use of wood in construction. Priority actions include: (i) green public procurement and public support for private sector uptake of sustainable wood in construction, (ii) developing or updating building codes, and (iii) tax incentives and/or guidance to subnational governments.
- Supporting systemic collaboration and facilitate access to knowledge and support. Priority actions include: (i) improving quality of, addressing gaps in, and facilitating access to relevant databases and mapping of public policies and supply & demand for sustainable wood sourcing, and (ii) knowledge and technology transfer, education, and training for the diverse array of actors (both traditional and non-traditional) in this space to create a more collaborative and efficient community.
- Mobilising finance and enhancing risk-taking capacity. Priority actions include: (i) scaling up investments in research & development in wood design and construction, (ii) encouraging partnerships between the public and private sector, and (iii) enhancing and/or facilitating
access to funding programs. - Engaging societies. The coalition will work to promote a ‘wood culture’ from the top-down, to support sustainable forest management, circular forest bioeconomies, and greening construction; and develop pilot projects and mentoring within and between global south and north countries, and city-to-city engagement.
