After UNFF: alternative futures for international forest governance

The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) was created by a resolution of the United Nations Economic and Social Council in 2000. Intended by many as a stopgap measure to keep the ball of international forest negotiations rolling, UNFF has shown remarkable staying power and can boast some significant achievements. However, UNFF 11, to be held in 2015, is charged with “reviewing the effectiveness of the international arrangement on forests and consideration of all future options”, a review that is widely understood as raising the question of UNFF’s own future.  In the light of UNFF’s record over the last 13 years and the creation of a variety of new institutions and mandates relating to forests and forestry, this lecture is intended to start a discussion of the options, informed by recent work in multi-level governance and international policy regimes.  While the status quo is always an option, what are the alternative futures?