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Although forests harbor about two third of the terrestrial biodiversity, it took eight years for the CBD to place forests as a main theme on the agenda of its biannual Conference of Parties (COP). Hopes were high amongNGOs, IPOs and many national delegates that COP6 (in April 2002) would mark a turning point in the current forest crisis.

SBSTTA recommendation VII/7
In November 2001 SBSTTA 7 brought the issue of forests significantly forward by developing a comprehensive work programme on forests to be adopted by COP6. Based on the good report prepared by the Convention's ad-hoc expert group on forests, SBSTTA delegates came up with a draft work programme that included many action oriented elements, objectives, and activities (130) addressing the underlying causes of biodiversity loss such as:
• Seeking to resolve land tenure and resources conflicts;
• Combating illegal logging, illegal exploitation of non-timber forest products and illegal exploitation of genetic resources and related trade;
• Eliminating perverse incentives in particular subsidies that result in favouring unsustainable use or loss of forest biological diversity
• Facilitating the participation of indigenous peoples and local communities.

Many of these activities are similar to those developed in Fern’s proposal for a work programme (Time for Action, November 2001, PDF, 48k) disseminated at SBSTTA. However, Fern and other NGO demands for a monitoring mechanism, target and priority setting could not be met and were postponed to the COP6 meeting.

COP6 decision VI/22
In general, COP6 discussions have been underpinned by the tension between developing global priorities and targets to address the unabated biodiversity loss while preserving national sovereignty over such efforts, a recurrent debate in the CBD.

Early in the meeting, Parties agreed that the work programme elements, objectives, and activities should not be re-discussed and should be adopted as drafted by SBSTTA. Subsequently heated and lengthy debates took place on priority setting at national versus international level, special consideration for primary forests, and a mechanism to facilitate and review progress in implementing the work programme.

In the end, the COP6 decision on forest biological diversity adopts the work programme although no global priority has been agreed upon nor has been a timetable for national implementation which therefore cast doubts on whether the work programme is going to be implemented at all. An agreed upon ad-hoc expert group should however ensure that focus rests on forests and the implementation of the work programme by assisting the Secretariat and SBSTTA in reviewing the progress in implementation, by COP8 (2006).

CBD-UNFF
The adopted decision on forest biological diversity puts significant emphasis on the collaboration with the United Nations Forum on Forests which might mark a turning point in developing a more co-operative relationship which could strengthen both processes. The CBD access to GEF funds provides another incentive for the collaboration, since the UNFF has no dedicated resources for implementation. It remains to be seen how countries will integrate the 130 activities from the CBD’s work programme and the more than 270 IPF/IFF Proposal for Action on forests, such that the overlaps are used to promote mutual supportiveness and actions that will significantly contribute to halting the global forest crisis.