Bhutan’s forestry policy short-listed

Bhutan’s forestry policy has been short-listed, with six others, for the Future Policy Award, which celebrates the most inspiring, innovative and influential forest policies worldwide.

The award is granted by the World Future Council, an international policy research organisation that provides decision makers with policy solutions.

Bhutan’s forestry policy is based on article 5 on environment in the Constitution of Bhutan, which states that Bhutan must maintain a forest coverage of a minimum of 60 percent for all times to come.

Bhutan is in the running with policies from Gambia, Rwanda, Nepal, Switzerland and the USA. The three winning policies, which effectively contribute to the conservation and sustainable development of forests for the benefit of current and future generations, will be announced on September 21 this year at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

This year’s theme is “Forests for People”, to raise awareness of the multiple value of forests, and highlight success stories and challenges faced by many of the world’s forests and the people, who depend on them.

The announcement will be followed by an awards ceremony hosted by the World Future

Council, the United Nations forum on forests secretariat, UN convention on biological diversity, the food and agricultural organization, and the wildlife conservation society.

“With the award, we want to cast a spotlight on policies that lead by example,” says World Future Council director, Alexandra Wandel. “The aim is to raise global awareness of visionary policies and speed up policy action in the interest of present and future generations.”

Twenty forest policies from 16 countries were nominated for the future policy awards. The jury is composed of experts on sustainability and forests from all five continents. In 2010, the international year on biodiversity, the award went to Costa Rica’s biodiversity law of 1998.

Source: Kuensel Newspaper

RELATED RESOURCES

• Press Release from World Future Council