Monitoring, assessment and reporting

Overview

Monitoring, assessment and reporting are core functions of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF). Through these functions, the Forum reviews progress in implementing the United Nations strategic plan for forests 2017–2030, supports accountability, and informs policy dialogue and decision-making at all levels.

Monitoring, assessment and reporting under UNFF are implemented through periodic reporting cycles aligned with the strategic plan. These cycles draw on voluntary national reports, contributions from the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, and globally agreed forest-related indicators.

Mandate and framework

The monitoring, assessment and reporting framework of UNFF is anchored in the United Nations strategic plan for forests 2017–2030, as adopted by the Economic and Social Council in resolution 2017/4.

Under the strategic plan, UNFF is mandated to:

  • assess progress in implementing the Global Forest Goals and targets;
  • review implementation through defined reporting and assessment cycles; and
  • support coherence with other forest-related reporting processes and global assessments.

Earlier intergovernmental decisions, including the international arrangement on forests beyond 2015, provide the enabling framework for these functions. 

Key components of monitoring, assessment and reporting

Under the United Nations strategic plan for forests, monitoring, assessment and reporting include:

  • Voluntary national reports submitted by Member States on progress in implementing the strategic plan and the United Nations forest instrument;
  • Inputs from the Collaborative Partnership on Forests and its member organisations, reflecting system-wide contributions;
  • Use of globally agreed forest-related indicators and relevant global forest data sources, including forest resource assessments; and
  • Secretariat-led synthesis and analysis, supporting global assessments, policy dialogue and reporting to intergovernmental bodies.

Together, these elements provide the evidence base for assessing progress towards the Global Forest Goals and targets.

Ongoing and future reporting cycles

In accordance with the review framework of the United Nations strategic plan for forests 2017–2030, progress in implementation is assessed through defined review milestones:

  • The 2024–2026 cycle of voluntary national reporting to the Forum, in which members provided updates on actions in support of achieving the Global Forest Goals and associated targets, associated challenges and results achieved. The Global Forest Goals Report 2026 will draw on voluntary national reports, the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2025 and other relevant data sources, to provide a consolidated global assessment of progress on implementation of the strategic plan.

  • The Final assessment in 2030 will provide an overall assessment of progress towards the Global Forest Goals and targets by the end of the strategic plan period. This review will be informed by voluntary national reporting, system-wide contributions and relevant global forest data sources.

Completed reporting and assessments

The voluntary national reporting cycle for the period 2019–2020 focused on early implementation of the strategic plan. Voluntary national reports submitted by Member States, together with inputs from the Collaborative Partnership on Forests and the FAO Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020, informed the preparation of the Global Forest Goals Report 2021.

The Global Forest Goals Report 2021 provided an initial global assessment of progress towards the Global Forest Goals and targets, highlighting:

  • good practices and success stories from Member States; and
  • persistent challenges and gaps requiring further action and strengthened implementation.

Lessons learned from this inaugural reporting cycle informed subsequent refinements to reporting formats and tools, guidance and support mechanisms under the strategic plan.

Advisory support and continuous improvement

To strengthen implementation of monitoring, assessment and reporting under the strategic plan, the Economic and Social Council has endorsed measures to improve reporting processes, drawing on lessons learned from previous cycles.