Poor and vulnerable people often depend on the use of natural resources and, in many regions, they are able to harness forest goods and services to manage and mitigate risk, especially in the face of crises. It is therefore essential to take into account the role that forests play in development in general, and in achieving poverty eradication, in particular.
This report consolidates available scientific evidence on the wide range of contributions which forests and trees outside forests make to curbing poverty, and on the effectiveness of diverse forest management policies, programmes, technologies and strategies. It does so based on an understanding of poverty not only in terms of monetary values, but also as an obstacle that keeps people from attaining a certain level of well-being and participating fully in society.
The report presents the findings of the Global Forest Expert Panel (GFEP) on the interactions between forests and poverty and contributes to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by highlighting the nexus between SDG 1 on ending poverty and SDG 15 on life on land, as well as relevant links to other Sustainable Development Goals.