United Nations
Environment
Programme (UNEP)
Background Guide Topic:

Preventing Deforestation Caused by Human Activities

Director’s Note
Dear delegates,
Welcome to the United Nations Environment Programme of Japan Metropolitan Model
United Nations 2023! My name is Milan Yamaoka, and I will be serving as the director of the
Beginner I committee. I am a junior at Senzoku Gakuen High School. As an elementary school
student in a Japanese public school, I saw Model United Nations as something extremely
intellectual and almost unapproachable. At the time, I did not have any confidence in making
speeches in English. Moreover, I did not have much interest in international affairs. However,After experiencing life overseas and receiving the recommendation of a friend, I overcame myreluctance and participated in an in-school-conference for the first time in high school and founddiplomacy to be very intriguing, and now I enjoy MUN conferences from the bottom of myheart. I hope you will find the same passion and support at our conference.
This year’s theme,“Renaissance ~Reviving the Groundwork of Diplomacy,” resonateswith the work to prevent deforestation and revive our healthy planet. In many cases, areas
affected by deforestation extend over various countries, making it difficult to tackle the issue
with the efforts of one country alone. Therefore, only through reviving diplomacy and having
countries come together to discuss this topic can effective solutions be found.
Participating in an external MUN conference can be stressful and terrifying, especiallywith a group of experienced delegates making outstanding speeches. Although frequent speakers
may stand out the most, it is not always the case that they are the most successful delegates. It is
more important to speak confidently, even if it is just once, than it is to make the most speeches.
Do not be afraid to make mistakes; the chairs will always be there to help out!
Thank you so much for joining us, and we hope to have a great two days discussing
deforestation. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Milan Yamaoka
Director of United Nations Environment Programme
Senzoku Gakuen Model United Nations ClubJapan Metropolitan Model United Nations

1

Introduction of theCommittee
History of Committee1
UNEP (United Nations Environment
Programme) was founded in 1972 following
the UN Conference on the Human
Environment. Currently with 193 member
states, this committee is dedicated toaddressing the world’s environmental
problems through providing leadership andencouraging partnership between countries.
Brief Introduction to Topic
Deforestation is the extreme loss of trees
due to rapid industrial development, an issue
that must be addressed by all countries as its
consequences, such as climate change, landerosion, and biodiversity decline, have aworldwide impact.

agriculture, and all components of biologicaldiversity that constitute the agricultural
ecosystems.
Agro-Industry
Agro-industry is the term for businesses
dealing with the supply, processing anddistribution of farm products. Agro-industry
is often considered the first rung of theladder to fully fledged industrialization.3
Biodiversity4
Biodiversity is the variety of living species
on Earth, including plants, animals, bacteria,
and fungi.
Cattle Ranching5
Ranching is the practice of raising herds ofanimals on large tracts of land. Ranchers
commonly raise grazing animals, such as

Key Terms
Agrobiodiversity2
Also known as agricultural biodiversity,
agrobiodiversity is a broad term that
includes all components of biologicaldiversity of relevance to food and1

Environment, U. N. (n.d.). About UN environment
programme. UNEP. Retrieved July 29, 2022, fromhttps://www.unep.org/about-un-environment2Unit, B. (2008, April 23). What is agricultural
biodiversity? Convention on Biological Diversity.
Retrieved August 4, 2022, fromhttps://www.cbd.int/agro/whatis.shtml

3

ECOSOC. (2017). (rep.). Global Expert Meeting on
Agriculture and Agro-industries Development
towards Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems toInform the 2017 ECOSOC Special Meeting on
Innovations for Infrastructure Development andPromoting Sustainable Industrialization Background
Report (pp. 1–18).
4
Biodiversity. National Geographic Society. (n.d.).
Retrieved August 1, 2022, fromhttps://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/bio
diversity
5
Ranching. National Geographic Society. (n.d.).
Retrieved August 1, 2022, fromhttps://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/ran
ching

2

cattle and sheep. Cattle ranching specificallyrefers to the ranching of cattle.
Deforestation6
Deforestation is the deliberate clearing offorested land for agriculture and animalgrazing, and to obtain wood for fuel,manufacturing, and construction.
Erosion7
Erosion is the geological process in which
earthen materials are worn away andtransported by natural forces such as wind or
water. While plant roots can possibly create
cracks within the ground, they can also help
in solidifying soil and therefore preventing
erosion from easily happening.
Forest Fragmentation8
Forest Fragmentation is the division of
habitat into smaller and more isolated
fragments separated by a matrix ofhuman-transformed land cover.
6

Deforestation. National Geographic Society. (n.d.).
Retrieved August 1, 2022, fromhttps://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/def
orestation
7
Erosion. National Geographic Society. (n.d.).
Retrieved August 1, 2022, fromhttps://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/erosion
8
3D. B. Lindenmayer, J. Fischer, Habitat
Fragmentation and Landscape Change: An
Ecological and Conservation Synthesis (Island Press,
Washington, DC, 2006).

Greenhouse Effect9
The greenhouse effect is a process that
occurs when gasses in Earth’s atmospheretrap the Sun’s heat. Because of this effect,
the temperature of Earth is warmer than it
would be if there was no atmosphere.
Logging10
Logging is the process of felling andharvesting trees in order to use their woodfor buildings, paper, or other purposes.

Current Situation
In 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and its seventeen Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted
by all members of the United Nations. Goal
15 of the SDGs urges countries to“sustainably manage forests, combat
deforestation, halt and reverse landdegradation, halt biodiversity loss” making
transformative changes to restore andprotect nature.11
9NASA. (n.d.). What is the greenhouse effect?
NASA. Retrieved August 1, 2022, fromhttps://climatekids.nasa.gov/greenhouse-effect/10
Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Logging.
Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved August 1, 2022,
fromhttps://www.britannica.com/topic/logging-forestry
11
United Nations. (n.d.). Goal 15 | Department of
Economic and Social Affairs. United Nations.
Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal15

3Goal 15 is a response to widespread
deforestation, which now affects the lives
and livelihoods of millions of people now.
Since the turn of the millennium, the world
has been losing around 5 million hectares offorest every year. Forest area from 2001 to2020 went from 22,556,000 hectares to21,946,000 hectares in Congo and from521,274,000 hectares to 496,619,600 in
Brazil and recorded the largest acceleration
in forest loss from 2001 to 2020.12
CO2 emissions (climate change)
Since 2000, the world has lost about 10% of
its tree cover. As a result, deforestation
contributes up to 10% of the carbon dioxide
emissions caused by human activity. This
figure rises to 15%﻿if forest degradation(changes that negatively affect a forest’s
structure or function but that do not decrease
its area), and tropical peatland emissions areincluded.13

Desertification
Since forests play a significant role in thewater cycle, overexploiting the land by
deforestation leads to land degradation in
typically dry areas. Removing trees upset
the balance of nutrients in the soil and takes
away the roots that help bind the soil
together, leaving it at risk of being eroded
and washed or blown away. The Amazon
rainforest generates around half of its own
rainfall. This means that clearing the forests
runs the risk of causing the local climate todry, adding to the risk of desertification.14
Flooding
Deforestation has had a significant impact
on flooding. Each 10% increase in
deforestation increases the danger of floodby up to 28 percent.15
Soil erosion
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimatesthat as much as half of the world’s topsoil
has already diminished because of
deforestation. Unsustainable agriculture

12

Ritchie, H. (2021, February 23). Cutting down
forests: What are the drivers of deforestation? OurWorld in Data. Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://ourworldindata.org/what-are-drivers-deforestation
13
Guardian News and Media. (2022, February 28).
Deforestation emissions far higher than previously
thought, study finds. The Guardian. Retrieved August
14, 2022, fromhttps://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/
28/deforestation-emissions-far-higher-than-previousl
y-thought-study-finds-aoe

14

Explainer: Desertification and the role of climatechange. Carbon Brief. (2020, September 2).
Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-desertification-and-the-role-of-climate-change/
15
Press Coverage | 10 .10. 2007 | Rights andResources Initiative. (2020, March 16). Deforestation
increases flooding risks. Rights + Resources.
Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://rightsandresources.org/deforestation-increases-flooding-risks/4practices and other improper land usechanges, such as illegal deforestation, canaccelerate erosion up to a thousand times.
The Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) predicts that by 2050, it may reduce
up to 10 percent of crop yields. which isequivalent to removing millions of land
from crop production.16
Habitat reduction
Deforestation reduces habitats for wildlife.
Animal species threatened by forest loss
may also face increased competition withothers, and can be at higher risk of being
killed by predators who have also lost theirnatural habitat. Every day, the world loses
137 species of animals, plants and insects
due to deforestation.17
Consisting of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia,
Myanmar, Vietnam and parts of China, theGreater Mekong is one of the world’s mostsignificant biodiversity hotspots and home
to rare wildlife. Yet, illegal logging isdevastating the region’s forests. In 2020
alone, the Greater Mekong countries,
excluding China, lost 1.1 million hectares
16

United Nations. (n.d.). Soil erosion must be stopped'to save our future', says UN Agriculture Agency | |UN news. United Nations. Retrieved August 14,
2022, fromhttps://news.un.org/en/story/2019/12/1052831
17
Save forests and heal the climate. Stand For Trees.
(n.d.). Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://standfortrees.org/deforestation-effects-on-ani
mals/(2.7 million acres) of forest.18

Case Studies
Subtopic I: Commercial
Agriculture and Livestock Grazing
Agriculture expansion continues to be theprincipal driver of deforestation and forest
fragmentation and the associated loss offorest biodiversity. Between 2000 and 2010,
40% of tropical deforestation was caused bylarge-scale commercial agriculture, mainly
due to livestock grazing, soya beancultivation, and oil palm production, andlocal subsistence agriculture, a system ofagriculture that produces a minimum andoften inadequate return to the farmer,19
replaced another 33%.20 While farming land
has increased its area, ironically, theresilience of human food systems and theircapacity to adapt to future environmental
18

The greater mekong region: A hotspot of wildlife
and crime. Mongabay Environmental News. (2021,
November 17). Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://news.mongabay.com/2021/11/the-greater-mek
ong-region-a-hotspot-of-wildlife-and-crime/
19
United Nations “Subsistence Agriculture for Green
Economy and Subsistence Life | Department of
Economic and Social Affairs.” United Nations,
United Nations,
https://sdgs.un.org/partnerships/subsistence-agricultur
e-green-economy-and-subsistence-life.
20
Document card : FAO: Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations. Document card |FAO | Food and Agriculture Organization of theUnited Nations. (n.d.). Retrieved August 14, 2022,
from https://doi.org/10.4060/ca8642en

5changes heavily rely on biodiversity, whose
loss is driven by deforestation. With forests
covering 33% of global land area, and asclimate change escalates the risks to foodsystems, the role of forests in absorbing andstoring carbon and tackling climate change
is continuously increasing in the agriculturalindustry.21

Livestock Grazing in Amazon
Livestock takes up 77% of global
agricultural land, corresponding toapproximately 27.3% of habitable land,
40,000,000 km².22 In addition, livestock21

The biodiversity that is crucial for our food andagriculture is disappearing by the day. FAO. (n.d.).
Retrieved July 21, 2022, fromhttps://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/1180463/icode/22
Ritchie, H. (2017, October 3). How much of theworld's land would we need in order to feed theglobal population with the average diet of a given
country? Our World in Data. Retrieved July 24, 2022,
fromhttps://ourworldindata.org/agricultural-land-by-global-dietsgrazing alone is responsible for the releaseof 340 tons of carbon into the atmosphereper year, equivalent to 3.4% of the total
current global emission. Brazil, the leading
livestock producer in the Amazon region,
ranks third as the largest producer of meat in
the world, after China and the United States.
23
For nearly every Amazonian country,
extensive cattle ranching is the leading
cause, responsible for 70-80% of
deforestation.24 In addition to driving forest
conversion, cattle pastures increase the riskof wildfire, severely damaging riparian(river bank) and aquatic ecosystems, causing
soil erosion, river siltation, andcontamination with organic matter;nonetheless, trends indicate the continuous
expansion of livestock production in the
Amazon.25

23

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations. (2022). Meat Market Review Overview ofmarket and policy developments 2021. Rome.
24
Skidmore, M. E., Moffette, F., Rausch, L., Christie,M., Munger, J., & Gibbs, H. K. (2021). Cattle
ranchers and deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon:
Production, location, and policies. In Global
Environmental Change (Vol. 68, p. 102280). Elsevier
BV. Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2021.102280
25
Unsustainable cattle ranching. WWF. (n.d.).
Retrieved July 23, 2022, fromhttps://wwf.panda.org/discover/knowledge_hub/wher
e_we_work/amazon/amazon_threats/unsustainable_c
attle_ranching/ (Unsustainable Cattle Ranching, n.d.)6The Amazon region is the 3rd largest
exporter of global agricultural commodities
by value, ranking first in beef exports.26 The
scarcity of suitable land for the expansion of
livestock production in the United States,
Western Europe, China, and many otherregions combined with the risinginternational demand for agro-industrial
commodities has hastened the recent
acceleration of livestock production and area
expansion taking place in the Northern
Brazil region.27
Soya Bean Production in Amazon
In the Amazon region, soybean fields
expanded by one million hectares (Mha)between 2001 and 2006, and the directtransformation of forests into soy production
farms resulted in record-high deforestation
rates.
In response to criticism of retailers andnongovernmental organizations (NGOs),
agribusinesses have introduced the Soy

Moratorium (SoyM), an agreement that
attempts to regulate the destruction offorests for the planting of soy in theBrazilian Amazon. Farms transgressing the
SoyM are determined to use a satellite andairborne monitoring system – developed byindustry, NGOs, and government partners –and are prohibited from selling to SoyM
signatories.28

Subtopic II: Infrastructure
Infrastructure represents the physicalsystems that support the development of aregion/country, with some examples beingtransportation, communication networks,
and schools.29
While infrastructure projects are importantin the development of a nation, such projects
can generate problems such as the large
costs for development, lack of technology
for certain nations, and demand for

28
26

USDA agricultural projections to 2028. (n.d.).
Retrieved July 24, 2022, fromhttps://www.ers.usda.gov/webdocs/outlooks/92600/o
ce-2019-1.pdf?v=7184.8
27
Nepstad, D. C., Stickler, C. M., Filho, B. S.-, &Merry, F. (2008). Interactions among Amazon landuse, forests and climate: prospects for a near-term
forest tipping point. In Philosophical Transactions of
the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (Vol. 363,
Issue 1498, pp. 1737–1746). The Royal Society.
Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2007.0036

Gibbs, H. K., Rausch, L., Munger, J., Schelly, I.,
Morton, D. C., Noojipady, P., Soares-Filho, B.,
Barreto, P., Micol, L., & Walker, N. F. (2015).
Brazil’s Soy Moratorium. In Science (Vol. 347, Issue
6220, pp. 377–378). American Association for the
Advancement of Science (AAAS). Retrieved August
14, 2022, fromhttps://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaa0181
29
Team, T. I. (2022, July 15). Infrastructure
definition. Investopedia. Retrieved August 1, 2022,
fromhttps://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/infrastructure.asp

7

sustainability.30 Moreover, the developmentof infrastructure in nations has negative
effects on deforestation. Intrusive
infrastructure projects require roads for
rapid transportation of goods and people,
and therefore cuts through forests anddestroys them. Infrastructure also indirectly
causes deforestation through allowing
industries to enter forests.31
Therefore, infrastructure projects must be
designed to use energy sustainably, andshould not threaten the natural environment.
Indonesia (Papua)
Road networks have increased by over 40
percent since the early 2000s in key tropicalforest areas.32 One example of increasing

30

Oyedele, O. A. (n.d.). Infrastructure problems ofdeveloping nations and Sustainable Development.
Retrieved August 1, 2022, fromhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/305904424_INFRASTRUCTURE_PROBLEMS_OF_DEVELO
PING_NATIONS_AND_SUSTAINABLE_DEVELO
PMENT
31Infrastructure and extraction: A host of
deforestation. World Rainforest Movement. (n.d.).
Retrieved August 30, 2022, fromhttps://www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin-articles/infrastructur
e-and-extraction-a-host-of-deforestation
32​Robert N. Proctor and Londa Schiebinger, ​Robert
N. Proctor and Londa Schiebinger, Hurdle, J., Hurdle,
J., Pearce, F., &amp; Pearce, F. (2020, November 19).
A wave of infrastructure projects to cause widespread
deforestation in coming decades, report finds. Yale
E360. Retrieved August 1, 2022, fromhttps://e360.yale.edu/digest/a-wave-of-infrastructure-road networks is seen in Indonesia, where
the construction of the Trans-Papua
Highway is underway. In the past, Indonesia
has decreased protected areas of land inorder to have access to more benefits such as
minerals, and therefore it is a concern as thesame could happen with this highway.
While the Trans-Papua helps increase accessto minerals, fossil fuels, timber, and land for
agri-business development, the 2,500 mile
highway also cuts through Lorentz National
Park, a World Heritage site, and threatens
the forests as well as the indigenous people
that live there. Research suggests that theconstruction of this highway will result in
deforestation, forest fragmentation, andbiodiversity loss.33 It is also estimated that
this project could result in the loss of 13% of
forest land in Papua by 2036.34

projects-to-cause-widespread-deforestation-in-coming-decades-report-finds
33
William;Laurance• January;17, ​Robert N. Proctor
and Londa Schiebinger,Hurdle, J., Pearce, F (n.d.). A
highway megaproject tears at the Heart of New
Guinea's rainforest. Yale E360. Retrieved August 1,
2022, fromhttps://e360.yale.edu/features/a-highway-megaproject-tears-at-the-heart-of-papuas-rainforest
34
Gaveau, D. (2021, October 21). Road to
uncertainty: Research reveals how Trans papua may
strip 4.5 million hectares of forest by 2036. Phys.org.
Retrieved August 1, 2022, fromhttps://phys.org/news/2021-10-road-uncertainty-reve
als-trans-papua.html

8Cameroon
Cameroon is a part of the Congo Basin,
located in west-central Africa. The country
has underdeveloped energy andtransportation systems; therefore,
infrastructure projects are important for
benefits such as enabling easier access tomarkets, boosting GDP, and lowering thecosts of transportation.35
In Cameroon, the construction of thehydropower Lom Pangar dam has led to theflooding of 30,000 hectares of forests, andhas also caused the emission of methanefrom floating wood and tree trunks in thewater.
A non-governmental organization called
SAILD monitors changes in forests of Deng
Deng National Park, a national park in
Cameroon. This organization combines
fieldwork and satellite imagery data from
Global Forest Watch and the Cameroon
Forest Atlas to monitor the impact of the
Lom Pangar dam.36
35

Infrastructure projects in Congo Basin need greater
oversight, report says. Mongabay Environmental
News. (2021, November 4). Retrieved August 1,
2022, fromhttps://news.mongabay.com/2021/11/infrastructure-projects-in-congo-basin-need-greater-oversight-report-s
ays/
36
Ngeunga, M. (2020, April 16). Filled with
Deadwood, Lom Pangar dam threatens climate.
InfoCongo. Retrieved August 1, 2022, from

Subtopic III: The Wood Industry
The global community is heavily dependent
on wood material; many products that areused in daily life are made of wood:
firewood, paper, building materials, energy
utilities, furniture, televisions, foodflavorings, and even fragrances. The UnitedStates alone uses 10 to 15 billion cubic feet
(more than 100 million tons) of wood eachyear in the form of wood and paper products
as well as wood for energy.37
However, demand for wood in developed
countries coupled with the need for foreign
trade in developing countries has
encouraged many developing countries to
cut wood faster than forests can beregenerated. This overcutting causes loss offorest-based livelihoods, increases soil
erosion and downstream flooding, andaccelerates the loss of species and genetic
resources.38

https://infocongo.org/en/lom-pangar-le-lac-de-barrage-aux-bois-morts/
37
Entryway. Forest Atlas. (n.d.). Retrieved August
14, 2022, fromhttps://forest-atlas.fs.fed.us/benefits-wood-products.html
38
Environmental hazards from logging.
Environmental hazards from logging | World
Problems &amp; Global Issues | The Encyclopedia ofWorld Problems. (n.d.). Retrieved August 14, 2022,
from http://encyclopedia.uia.org/en/problem/132946

9

Nigeria
In Nigeria, the forestry sector has played an
important role in the country’ssocio-economic development, being one of
the highest revenue- andemployment-generating sectors in the
country.39
However, due to the indiscriminate anduncontrolled logging or felling of trees,
Nigeria lost 55.7% of its primary forest to
deforestation between 2000 and 2005.40
This has had negative effects such as
ecological imbalance caused by migration of
wildlife, soil erosion, and desertification.
The disposal of generated solid wood waste,such as sawdust, shavings, trimmings, andglue waste disposal have also polluted the
air and the land.41

Furthermore, deforestation in Nigeria has
also led to loss of biodiversity. Nigeria's
current biodiversity status shows that thecountry has an estimated 500 viral species,
3,423 fungal species, 748 algae and 2,455
species of higher plants. Already, more than
484 plant species in 112 families are
threatened with extinction, while many havealready been lost due to deforestation.42
In order to mitigate the acceleration of
deforestation caused by the wood industry,
fast growing tree species have been
considered effective for fuelwood
plantations.43
BrazilIn recent years, Brazil has experienced rapid
deforestation. From 2001 to 2021, Brazil
lost 62.8Mha of tree cover, equivalent to a
12% decrease in tree cover since 2000.44
Brazil is a leading producer, processor, andconsumer of wood-based products;

39

The impacts of forest industries and wood
utilization on the environment. Home. (n.d.).
Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://www.fao.org/3/XII/0122-A2.htm
40
Saka-rasaq, O. (1970, January 1). Forest loss inNigeria, the impact on climate and people from theperspectives of illegal forest activities andgovernment negligence. Theseus. Retrieved August
14, 2022, fromhttps://www.theseus.fi/handle/10024/170981
41
The impacts of forest industries and wood
utilization on the environment. Home. (n.d.).
Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://www.fao.org/3/XII/0122-A2.htm

42

Vanishing point for Nigeria's rainforest. WWF.
(n.d.). Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?2035%2FVanishing-point-for-Nigerias-rainforest
43
The impacts of forest industries and wood
utilization on the environment. Home. (n.d.).
Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://www.fao.org/3/XII/0122-A2.htm
44Vizzuality. (n.d.). Brazil deforestation rates &statistics: GFW. Global Forest Watch. Retrieved
August 14, 2022, fromhttps://www.globalforestwatch.org/dashboards/countr
y/BRA

10

roundwood production totalled 254.4
million cubic meters in 2015, and theforestry sector contributed USD 22.5 billion
to the economy in 2011, which isapproximately 1.1% of the GDP.
Illegal logging has long been an extensive
problem in Brazil, and corruption, illegality
and fraud remain widespread in the forest
sector.45
An analysis by non-governmentalorganizations revealed that it is not possible
to differentiate between authorized andillegal logging in five of the seven states that
produce the most wood in the Amazon,
which raises suspicions that wood harvested
in Brazil for both international and domestic
consumption may have criminal origins.
Regions such as national parks, conservation
units, and indigenous lands lost 280km2 tologging between August 2019 and July
2020. Among the most affected are theCampos Amazônicos, Tenharim Marmelos,
Batelão and Aripuanã National Parks. The
Baú Indigenous Land had the largest
illegally logged area in protected lands in

45

Preferred by Nature. (n.d.). Brazil. NEPCon Preferred by Nature. Retrieved August 14, 2022,
fromhttps://preferredbynature.org/sourcinghub/timber/bra
zilPará, with 1.58km2 of timber illegally
extracted.46
Not only does illegal logging accelerate
deforestation, it also creates social conflictwith indigenous and local populations andleads to violence, crime, and human rights
abuses. Revenue from illegal logging
activities has been used to fund civil wars,
organized crime, and money laundering, allof which threaten international security.
Illegal logging also undermines the trade inlegal and well-managed timber by
responsible companies by undercutting its
price and making it less competitive.47
In order to identify illegal logging, theTimber Exploitation Monitoring System(Simex), an Amazon monitoring tool basedon satellite images, was developed in 2008
to evaluate Forest Management Plans andmap areas subjected to logging in the region.
48

46

Bourscheit, A. (2021, October 6). Most of the wood
consumed in Brazil may come from illegal
deforestation in the Amazon. InfoAmazonia.
Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://infoamazonia.org/en/2021/09/21/most-wood-c
onsumed-brazil-illegal-deforestation-amazon/
47
Deforestation and illegal logging threaten theworld's forests. Greenpeace Australia Pacific. (n.d.).
Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://www.greenpeace.org.au/what-we-do/protectin
g-forests/threats/
48
Entenda o sistema de Monitoramento da
Exploração Madeireira (Simex). Imazon. (2021,

11

Past Actions
The United Nations Forum on Forests
The United Nations Forum on Forests is afunctional commission of the UN Economic
and Social Council (ECOSOC) with
universal membership. Since its inception in
2000, the Forum has reached numerous
milestones including agreement on the first
United Nations Forest Instrument in 2007,
the establishment of the Global Forest
Financing Facilitation Network (GFFFN) in
2015, and agreement on the first United
Nations Strategic Plan for Forests 2030 in2017, all of which contributed to creatingconcrete achievement goals. The Forum’s
programmes of work are designed to reflect
its contribution to the Global Forest Goals
and targets.49
UN Strategic Plan for Forests 2030
In April 2017, the UN General Assembly
adopted the first ever UN Strategic Plan for
Forests 2030. It provides a global
framework for action at all levels tosustainably manage all types of forests andtrees outside forests as well as to halt
deforestation and forest degradation. At the
September 1). Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://imazon.org.br/imprensa/entenda-o-sistema-demonitoramento-da-exploracao-madeireira-simex/
49
2030 - United Nations. (n.d.). Retrieved August 14,
2022, fromhttps://www.un.org/esa/forests/wp-content/uploads/2
019/04/Global-Forest-Goals-booklet-Apr-2019.pdf

heart of the Strategic Plan are six Global
Forest Goals and twenty-six associatedtargets to be achieved by 2030, which arevoluntary and universal.50
These Goals are:
1. Reverse Forest Cover Loss
2. Improve Forest Benefits andLivelihoods
3. Protect Forests and Use Sustainable
Forest Products
4. Mobilize Resources
5. Promote Inclusive Forest Governance6. Cooperate and Work Across Sectors 51
REDD+
REDD+ is a climate change mitigation
solution developed by Parties to the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC). The framework was
adopted at COP19 in Warsaw, December
2013.52 The aim of REDD+ is to encourage
developing countries to contribute to reducegreenhouse gas emissions and climatechange mitigation efforts by slowing,
50

United Nations. (n.d.). United Nations Forum on
forests " about UNFF. United Nations. Retrieved
August 14, 2022, fromhttps://www.un.org/esa/forests/forum/about-unff/inde
x.html51
Home. International Model Forest Network. (n.d.).
Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://imfn.net/global-forest-goals/
52
About redd+. UNREDD. (n.d.). Retrieved August
14, 2022, fromhttps://www.un-redd.org/about/about-redd

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halting, and reversing forest loss anddegradation, and increasing removal ofgreenhouse gas from the earth’s atmospherethrough the conservation, management andexpansion of forests. Examples of REDD+
activities are: reduction of emissions fromdeforestation and forest degradation,conservation and enhancement offorest-carbon stocks, and the sustainable
management of forests. There is a packageof coordinated REDD+ actions defined byeach country and included in national
strategies and action plans.53
The New York Declaration on Forests
The New York Declaration on Forests is apolitical declaration calling for global action
to protect and restore forests. Adopted in2014 and updated in 2021, it sets out 10
goals to stop natural forest loss by 2030,
restore 350 million hectares of degradedlandscapes and forestlands, improvegovernance and the rights of forest
communities, increase financial flows to53

Fao.org. Overview&nbsp;|&nbsp;REDD+
Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest
Degradation&nbsp;|&nbsp;Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations. (n.d.). Retrieved
August 14, 2022, fromhttps://www.fao.org/redd/overview/en/

forests, and reduce carbon emissions fromdeforestation and forest degradation.5455
COP25
At COP25, which took place in December
2019, a Leadership Dialogue was held todetermine how to halt deforestation. The
COP25 presidency initiated the Santiago
Call for Action on Forests, a plea forprogress on seven essential activities,
including reducing emissions fromdeforestation and forest degradation andenhancing carbon sinks that absorb
atmospheric carbon, such as primary forests
as well as reforested and restored areas.56

54

Clea Paz-Rivera Senior Programme Manager.
(n.d.). A renewed call to halt deforestation by 2030:
United Nations Development Programme. UNDP.
Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://www.undp.org/blog/renewed-call-halt-deforest
ation-2030
55
Support@donny.vip. (2022, August 3). New York
Declaration on Forests. Forest Declaration. Retrieved
August 14, 2022, fromhttps://forestdeclaration.org/resources/the-new-yorkdeclaration-on-forests/
56
United Nations. (n.d.). At COP25, UN agencies
commit to turn the tide on deforestation | UN Desa
Department of Economic and Social Affairs. United
Nations. Retrieved August 14, 2022, fromhttps://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/sustai
nable/cop25-deforestation.html

13

Questions to Consider● What percentage of your country isforested?
● What role do forests play in yourcountry's economy or environment?
● How much of your country’s forests
have been lost so far?
● What is the main reason for
deforestation in your country?
● What is in danger if deforestation
continues in your country?
● What past actions has your country
taken?
● Does your country have regulations
regarding deforestation?
● Has your country signed any treaties
regarding deforestation?
● Is your country successful incooperating with other countries interms of prevention of deforestation?

Guidelines for Position
PapersPosition papers must clearly articulate thecurrent situation of your country, briefly
explain the past actions it has taken, andfurther denote possible solutions. Papers

may also include international resolutions
and strategies to combat the issue discussed
in your committee; however, the main focus
must be on your country. When developing
your position papers, please focus on
information that directly relates to the topic.
General information about your country,
such as its geographical location, major
cities, or major trade exports, should not be
included to lengthen your report. Rememberthat delegates and chairs do not have a lot oftime during the conference to read theposition papers. If you want to successfullypress the case of your country, you wantyour position papers to get to the point
quickly and persuasively.

Closing Remarks
We would like to thank you again for yourparticipation in JMMUN. Please keep inmind that this background guide is only abrief introduction to the conference. We
highly recommend every delegate toresearch in depth and consider multiple
possible solutions to combat deforestation
caused by human activities. Again, pleasefeel free to contact us if you have any
questions or concerns! We are looking
forward to seeing you all in March.

14

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