[IUFRO Div 5] New study warns damage to forests from climate change could cost the planet its major keeper of greenhouse gases

We are pleased to announce that the first ever compiled global assessment report on "Adaptation of Forests and People to Climate Change" will be published officially at the next session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF), during the following side event: Making Forests Fit For Change - IUFRO-Led Activities at the Science-Policy Interface Wednesday, 22 April 13:15 to 14:45 hours Conference Room 2 (CR-2) UN Headquarters, New York City The report is the first product of the IUFRO-led Global Forest Expert Panels of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) and presents the state-of-knowledge about the impacts of climate change on forests and people and options for adaptation. One of the key messages that emerged from this assessment is that the carbon-regulating services of forests are at risk of being lost entirely unless current carbon emissions are reduced substantially; this would result in the release of huge quantities of carbon to the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change. The report as well as a policy brief (available in all UN languages) can be downloaded at: http://www.iufro.org/science/gfep/ Information for the press is available at: http://www.iufro.org/science/gfep/media-information/ For further information, please, contact: Alexander Buck, IUFRO Mobile +43-664-1426852 Email: buck(at)iufro.org About IUFRO and the CPF The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) is the only world-wide organization devoted to forest research and related sciences. Its members are research institutions, universities, and individual scientists as well as decision-making authorities and other stakeholders with a focus on forests and trees. For further information, please visit: www.iufro.org. The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) is a voluntary arrangement among 14 international organizations and secretariats with substantial programmes on forests. Its mission is to promote the management, conservation and sustainable development of all types of forest and strengthen long-term political commitment to this end. For further information, please visit: http://www.fao.org/forestry/cpf/en/. --- Sent by c.goestl on behalf of Alexander BUCK, IUFRO Headquarters, Vienna