IUFRO News Vol. 48, Double Issue 5/6, late June 2019

Following the launch of the assessment on "Forests and Water" in 2018, the coordination team of the IUFRO-led Global Forest Experts Panels (GFEP) conducted background research on potential themes for the next global scientific assessment to be undertaken in 2019-2020. Based on the feedback from IUFRO officeholders, stakeholders, donors and members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), the GFEP team decided to propose the topic of "Forests and Poverty" as the thematic focus for the seventh global assessment.

As the major international policy platform for forest- and tree-related issues, the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) held its 14th session from 6-10 May at UN Headquarters in New York, USA. IUFRO was well represented and contributed substantially to bringing scientific evidence to the attention of policy and decision-makers.

At this year's R20 Austrian Climate Summit IUFRO co-organized session entitled "Forest Responses to Climate Change: Why African Forests Matter". Eminent scientists from Africa-based research institutions talked with Austrian representatives from government and research about the opportunities and challenges for people and the environment related to forests, trees and forest products in the face of climate change, and about collaboration with Austrian partners.

In addition to announcements of publications, events etc., this issue also includes reports about a wide range of topics including forests for public health, agroforestry, challenges and opportunities for updating wood identification, diseases of forest trees and their increasing impacts globally as well as impacts of air pollution and climate change on forest ecosystems.

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