In a time of rapid and unpredictable change, building resilience has become a key policy priority. Governments, international organizations and civil society actors are seeking to integrate resilience into different policy areas to enable communities and systems to cope with shocks, recover from them and strengthen their capacity to adapt and transform. Increasing resilience is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring a sustainable future for all. Forests, which cover 31% of the Earth\u2019s surface, are crucial to this goal.<\/p>\n
Forests are integral to the social and economic resilience of communities at both local and global levels. They provide multifaceted livelihood support, are the foundation for food and water security, regulate climate, maintain biodiversity, and perform many other functions. It is estimated that 95% of the world\u2019s non-urban population (approximately 4.2 billion) live within five kilometers of a forest. More than 1.6 billion people worldwide depend directly on forests for their livelihoods, with 300 to 350 million indigenous peoples almost entirely dependent on forests for their livelihoods. Forests also provide significant economic benefits, from timber and non-timber forest products (NTFPs) that support the livelihoods of billions of people, to protection from extreme weather and erosion.<\/p>\n
Forests and human communities form complex social-ecological systems (SES). SES resilience refers to the ability of these systems (both natural and human) to withstand stressors and shocks, to adapt and, if necessary, to reorganize. Social and economic resilience, the ability of communities and economies to cope with disturbances, is part of this broader concept of SES resilience.<\/p>\n
Climate change poses a critical threat to forest SES<\/strong>. In addition to deforestation, invasive species and land-use change, climate change is significantly accelerating forest degradation and increasing their vulnerability to disturbances such as pests and fires. This situation creates feedback loops that further deteriorate the condition of forests. Stressors affecting forests have intensified to the point that we are approaching, and in many cases already exceeding, local and global tipping points. Overall, forest resilience is declining due to increasing pressures from increasing demand for products, alternative land uses (such as agriculture), human population growth and consumption. Attempts to maximise timber production at the expense of other ecosystem services can lead to the collapse of forest ecosystems. Moreover, climate change is part of a broader "triple planetary crisis"<\/strong>, including biodiversity loss and pollution, which further complicates the situation.<\/p>\n Despite these threats, forests are also a key ally in the fight against and adaptation to climate change. Forests absorb a significant amount of global carbon emissions<\/strong>, thus playing a vital role in mitigating climate change. Resilient forests help keep humanity away from global tipping points<\/strong> and avoid the \u201cHumpty Dumpty effect\u201d, where a collapsed system is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to fully restore. It is much easier and safer to maintain and increase the resilience of forest SES than to try to revert to undesirable states. Forests provide benefits in mitigating the effects of shocks (including climate) and are a source of adaptation in a changing world. For example, in the EU, storm protection through forests is expected to reduce climate-related costs by up to 35 % by 2050.<\/p>\n Increasing the resilience of forest SES requires a shift from traditional \u201csustainable timber yield\u201d to holistic approach<\/strong>, which integrate ecological, social and economic resilience. Approaches such as sustainable forest management (SFM)<\/strong> a ecosystem management<\/strong> prioritize biodiversity, human well-being, and adaptation strategies to address climate change and socio-economic pressures. Forest SES governance plays a key role. There is a need to address unequal power relations and structural legacies that weaken the institutions of indigenous and forest peoples, often in favor of global economic priorities. Inclusive, equitable, and adaptive approaches to governance that take into account diverse knowledge systems are essential.<\/p>\n Adaptive and transformative approaches to governance<\/strong> are essential. Adaptation governance involves connecting actors and institutions at multiple levels to effectively manage ecosystems in the face of shocks, as well as promoting flexibility, self-organization, collaboration and learning. Transformational governance goes further and seeks to intentionally shift the system to a more desirable state, which requires leadership, innovation and investment. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, but an adaptive mix of approaches is needed, tailored to different conditions and scales. Options with the potential to increase resilience include integrated fire management, community agroforestry, adaptive joint forest management and recognition of the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities. Forest landscape restoration, digital technologies and Nature-based Solutions<\/strong> they are also promising pathways for strengthening forest resilience and climate adaptation, but they require equitable access, supportive policies and financing, and a focus on community-led processes.<\/p>\n It is crucial to integrate resilience-enhancing attributes into policy and management, such as maintaining diversity, promoting biophysical and socio-economic capital, promoting polycentric governance, strengthening adaptive and transformative capacity, improving equity and supporting local solutions. While forest interventions are important, they are not sufficient on their own; they require complementary policy interventions in other sectors. The drivers of forest loss and degradation often originate outside the forest sector and are linked to powerful interests. To unlock the full potential of forests, a transformative change focused on collective action, social justice and environmental sustainability<\/strong>, which also addresses indirect causes of forest decline.<\/p>\n