This publication, the main report of the Forestry Outlook Study for West and Central Asia (FOWECA), provides a long-term perspective of changes in the forest sector. Implemented in partnership with the countries, the study covered 23 countries in West Asia, Central Asia and the southern Caucasus.

This publication, the main report of the forestry outlook study of West and Central Asia, provides a long-term perspective of changes in the forest sector. Implemented in partnership with the countries, the study covered 23 countries in West Asia, Central Asia and the southern Caucasus. This report outlines the probable developments, including broader regional and global issues that need to be taken into account in developing national policies and programmes. It then discusses what needs to be done to enhance the contribution of forests and trees to society. It focuses particularly on probable development scenarios, their implications for society in terms of availability of goods and services, and the priorities and strategies that may be pursued to improve the situation.

This study presents information on fire in greater depth than was possible in FRA 2005, including its incidence, impact and management in different regions of the world. It recognizes that not all fires ware destructive and that fire management is an essential part of sustainable forest management. Indeed, some ecosystems require fire to induce regeneration and to maintain or enhance biodiversity, agricultural productivity and the carrying capacity of pastoral systems. The study also finds that people are the overwhelming cause of fires in every region, for a wide range of reasons.

This study on bamboo was developed by FAO and INBAR jointly in the framework of FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005 (FRA 2005), with the aim of filling the gap in global information and providing a first, comprehensive assessment of the world’s bamboo resources.

The main aim of this study was to facilitate access to comprehensive and comparable information on the current and past extent of mangroves in the 124 countries and areas where mangroves are known to exist,

This study aims to stimulate discussion on the elements of appropriate national legal frameworks for bioenergy, particularly in developing countries.

Climate change adaptation requires the use of good agricultural, forestry and fisheries practices to meet changing and more difficult environmental conditions. To make sure appropriate nformation is shared and put into practice, FAO works to build capacities at the national, local and community levels to raise awareness and prepare for climate change impacts. At the government level, the goal is to mainstream climate change strategies and actions in agricultural policies and programmes to reduce vulnerability and provide local communities with site-specific solutions

This publication provides policy-makers and project personnel with tools to assess present energy flows and future energy scenarios. It uses a geographic information system to generate and manage data independently of political boundaries, integrating and analysing relationships among socio-economic and environmental variable and facilitates the identification of priority areas and population that deserve greatest attention in efforts to attain the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Access to food involves entitlements for producing or acquiring food, which are discussed in this paper under three main headings: access to productive natural resources including land, water, agrofor

This paper seeks to capture the dynamics of the industry over the more recent past.