In 2023, IUFRO expanded its Global Forest Expert Panels (GFEP) Programme into the fully fledged Science-Policy Programme. The core of the Programme combines diverse expertise to assess scientific knowledge about the role of forests and trees in achieving global goals and inform political decision- making. The assessments carried out within the Programme respond directly to key forest-related policy questions by consolidating available scientific knowledge and expertise on the topics of these questions. The findings are published in comprehensive reports and policy briefs that provide decision-makers and stakeholders with the most relevant, objective, and accurate information. This makes IUFRO’s Science-Policy Programme an essential knowledge contributor, increasing the quality and effectiveness of international forest policy and governance. In 2010, IUFRO launched the GFEP report “Embracing Complexity: Meeting the Challenges of International Forest Governance”. It provided an overview of the complex and diverse elements that made up the global forest governance arrangements at the time, identified and analysed the core components of those arrangements, and proposed options for dealing with complexity and improving the effective implementation of forest governance at global, regional, national, and sub-national levels. The publication received considerable attention, especially from rule-makers and other forest policy stakeholders. More than a decade after the publication of the report, the complexity of international forest governance has increased manifold. Now, several organisations at the core of the international forest regime recognise the need for coordination, particularly given that, while the role of nation states through intergovernmental organisations remains an important component of the forest regime, the number of non governmental actors, both for-profit and not-for-profit, is steadily increasing. The vital role of these actors in international politics and policy should be considered when discussing the broader concept of forest governance. The inclusion of new actors and relationships is being institutionalised in various ways, creating new structures of transnational policy networks and partnerships. The need for coordination is supported and taken even further by several studies, which show that enabling international forest financing and partnerships not only reduces carbon emissions significantly, but also benefits low- and middle-income countries, supports poverty alleviation, and helps preserve biodiversity and other forest ecosystem services. Against this backdrop, a thorough scientific review of the current status of international forest governance is a timely response to the ongoing global discussions. This publication revisits the questions examined in the earlier GFEP assessment and expands its scope to include aspects that have become more relevant since 2010. It is my sincere hope that this publication will support a more coherent policy dialogue about the role of forests in addressing the broader environmental, social, and economic challenges reflected in the global Sustainable Development Agenda, and that those involved in shaping the current and future international forest governance will find this report and its accompanying policy brief a useful source of information and inspiration.
