Towards a New Global Forest Science
Forests have returned to the international political agenda as governments deliberate on the successor to the Kyoto Protocol. Yet forest scientists are ill-equipped to answer the questions raised in these discussions, since their concepts and practices are less applicable at global
scales. This article outlines key elements of a new global forest science that could answer these questions. It would, for example, monitor the world's forests annually, just as astronomers observe the universe; show how to construct reliable global knowledge about forests; devise methods
to identify normative long-term trends in national forest cover to make a Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) Scheme feasible; improve our understanding of the role of forests in global environmental governance; and map biodiversity and carbon stocks holistically so
that combating climate change does not undermine biodiversity.
Keywords: World Forest Observatory; forest research policy; university forestry departments
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: School of Geography, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
Publication date: 01 March 2009
- The International Forestry Review is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal that publishes original research and review papers on all aspects of forest policy and science, with an emphasis on issues of transnational significance. It is published four times per year, in March, June, September and December. Theme editions are a regular feature and attract a wide audience.
The IFR is part of The Global Forest Information Service - GFIS
International Forestry Review has an Impact Factor of 1.705 - Editorial Board
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