For more than 25 years FSC has been working to take care of the world’s forests for future generations. On September 25, 2020, the Forest Stewardship Council® will be hosting ‘FSC Friday’ an annual event to raise awareness by encouraging consumers, companies, communities and stakeholders to share their commitment to FSC and responsible forestry -  whether through forest management practices, or sourcing and buying FSC certified materials and products. 

Forests for All Together is our theme this year. We are celebrating the importance of bringing people together to responsibly care for forests – from environmentalists to big business, from indigenous people to communities and governments, from forest workers to careful consumers, it is essential that we work together to care for our forests.

After a year of worldwide climate protests, Earth Day 2020 was poised to be a defining moment in the fight against climate change. But the global COVID-19 pandemic eclipsed the day with uncertainty and fear, as nations battled to flatten the curve, leaving our unfolding environmental crisis on the sideline.

While COVID-19 has been life-changing, it’s vital that we not lose sight of the fact that climate change is and will be even more so. It is our greatest collective challenge, and can be sidestepped no longer.

At FSC, we know that one key solution to climate change resides in forests – natural climate solutions vital to any carbon-reduction efforts. Statistics show that by protecting about 400 million hectares of forest, we can slash carbon emissions by 5.5-8.8 gigatons by 2050, while preventing 700 gigatons of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere. Proper forest management also limits the spread of infectious disease by preserving natural habitats.

This is the driving force behind FSC Friday – an annual awareness day on the 25 September 2020 to increase knowledge, encourage commitment and raise appreciation for responsible forestry. Together we unite behind the theme of Forests for All Together because, as the pandemic has demonstrated, we are one global family who share this planet. Today, our connectedness goes even deeper at the intersection between environment, economy – and health.

As the world continues to focus on the pandemic, we are losing the climate change battle and losing our forests at an unsustainable pace of 7.6 million hectares per year. Sustainable forestry practices are essential now more than ever before.

As governments fail to pressure businesses, they are in turn slow to act. Climate Action 100+ is one recent initiative that seeks to curb greenhouse gas emissions from major corporations. It asked companies to begin by disclosing climate-related data – yet only 25 per cent disclosed forestry-specific information.

In fact, just 13 companies listed information on at least one key deforestation commodity – indicating a lack of transparency and the work that must be done. Meanwhile, only a third of these global companies have robust certification in place with regard to their commodities. A 2020 report confirms that good corporate governance of deforestation is not the norm.

Certified forests: a vital solution to climate change
To overcome climate change, it’s imperative that countries prioritize responsible forest management. One proven measure is to leverage and deploy certification programs such as the standard offered by FSC.

FSC certified forests protect habitats and wildlife, ensure responsible forestry practices – and also uphold Indigenous Peoples’ rights. These communities have long kept our forests prosperous, with ways of life rooted in land management. It’s important to consider that Indigenous and community-owned lands include at least 485.6 million hectares of forest around the world that contain 38 billion tons of carbon stock. FSC Standards protect Indigenous rights, and when it comes to climate change, that is an impactful measure that helps mitigate global warming by maintaining or increasing carbon sequestration.

2020 has proven that rapid change can happen
The pandemic has offered us a great, global lesson on how to work together to manage crises and accelerate change. Governments and businesses have created bold programs almost overnight, spilled open budgets, and intervened in unprecedented fashion to protect people’s health and jobs. There is no reason why this same collective approach can’t be applied to the climate crisis.

FSC Certification is poised to help. Our strong membership network, comprising leaders from industry, environmental, social and Indigenous Peoples, is well positioned to find joint solutions to global problems.

In fact, as an organization that has historically relied on in-person audits, FSC has already shifted operations to offer virtual assessments, and we are now exploring satellite imagery to help inform decisions for areas of higher risk around the world. This technology will enable us to see the state of the world’s forests more clearly than ever before, bringing new, accurate ways to measure the impact of protecting these lands.

Even local efforts can support global goals. We’ve seen evidence of this throughout our diverse membership, multi-stakeholder approach and collaborative efforts, which support several United Nations Global Goals for Sustainable Development while also reflecting the needs of local forests for all of our members, who are located in 80 countries around the world.

Importantly, many companies are in fact reconfirming or advancing sustainability strategies, developing new partnerships, and working toward coordinated action. Individuals can decide to buy products from sustainable sources, support organizations that promote inclusion and sustainability, and vote for political parties that have a plan to fight climate change. These efforts, combined across countries, can have a profound impact.

Related article: FSC certification breakthrough for small-scale growers