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Policy Briefs

2018-07-10

Forest and Water on a Changing Planet: Scientific Insights for Achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals


This policy brief summarizes the key messages of the GFEP report “Forest and Water on a Changing Planet: Vulnerability, Adaptation and Governance Opportunities. A Global Assessment Report” and reaches out to international as well as national policymakers and other stakeholders.

Following key messages are highlighted:

  • The link between water and forests exists within a broader climate-forest-water-people system
  • Water is central to all 17 SDGs
  • Forests, especially natural forests, contribute to the resilience of water supply for humans
  • Forests can be managed for resilience of water supplies to enable adaptation to global change
  • International and regional institutional and governance frameworks can play a key role in optimising climate-forest-water management
  • A clear policy gap in climate-forest-water relations exists, waiting to be filled
  • Outstanding knowledge gaps on the forest-water nexus must urgently be tackled


PDFs for download