Paul Wolfowitz, President of the World Bank, shared his thoughts about how the global community can face the double challenge of protecting our environment and strengthening our economies. Brazil is working to turn this double challenge into a double dividend, by meeting energy needs that are essential for growth and fighting poverty, while leaving a smaller environmental footprint. Investing in the environment is investing in the future of the poor.

This article focuses on the role of environmental movements that have an influence on state policies regarding community forestry in Thailand. It analyses how conflicts between the state and local people over the right to manage forest resources have ceased to be seen as isolated incidents, but as part of a structural shortcoming in Thai law.

It may come as a paradox that while interest in tropical forests worldwide has been steadily growing in the last century, this has in no way halted the continued loss and degradation of one of earth's grandest terrestrial ecosystems. In fact, the extent and rate of degradation is accelerating. Some places have completely lost their original forests, while in others the structure and biomass of the forest have been irreparably damaged. Concern for this loss is not limited to the extinction of animal and plant species.

The 26 December 2004 earthquake and tsunami devastated the lives of millions. With considerable determination, local communities have joined national and international organizations and governments to bring relief and start the recovery work. FAO has been involved in assisting the affected countries in numerous ways so that agricultural activities may be resumed. While short-term assistance is indispensable, strategic planning for medium and long-term rehabilitation in collaboration with partners and governments is required for appropriate intervention.

The Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) Project in the Philippines was initiated in August 2002 for the assessment of Philippine forest and tree resources as part of the framework of the Forest Resources Assessment Programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to support national forest assessments (NFA).

The preliminary conclusions put forward in this Rural Sector Note may be used as basis for further discussions between the Government and the World Bank to ascertain the mutual interest in any programme or project follow up.

Globally, according to FRA 2000, planted forests accounted for only 5% of forest area, but up to 35% of industrial roundwood supply. This is anticipated to rise to 40-44% by 2020. Planted forests reflect a higher social, environmental and economic importance than their area would suggest. Many countries have existing planted forest data that is not based upon forest inventory, is incomplete and often outdated. Thus it is difficult to measure and plan the quantity and quality of planted forest resources and the provision of goods and services that they supply.

The use of satellite imagery can substantially improve knowledge on changes in forest area as a result of deforestation, afforestation and natural forest expansion. This summary outlines some of the initial findings on forest land use and land-use change of a global remote sensing survey carried out to complement the country reporting process as part of the Global Forest Resources Assessments led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Les évaluations des bilans en éléments nutritifs aident à déterminer les effets des pratiques agricoles sur la fertilité des sols. Selon les situations, plusieurs approches et méthodes ont été utilisées. Ce bulletin présente un apercu de la situation actuelle des études des bilans en elements nutritifs. Il fait apparaître l'évolution des différentes approches et méthodes, les compare et souligne les améliorations effectuées ainsi que les questions qui restent à résoudre.

Because of changes in some underlying factors, land is increasingly becoming a source of conflicts in Africa. We estimate the determinants of land conflicts and their impacts on input application in Kenya by using a recent survey of 899 rural households. We find that widows are about 13 percent more likely to experience pending land conflicts when their parcels are registered under the names of their deceased husbands than when titles are registered under their names.

Este informe presenta el estudio de caso correspondiente a la experiencia de Costa Rica en la implementación de su Sistema Nacional de Áreas de Conservación (SINAC). En la primera sección se ofrece un bosquejo de la situación actual de las áreas silvestres protegidas costarricenses, dando énfasis a los aspectos de la institucionalidad, la legislación, las políticas, el sistema de categorías de manejo empleado y algunos aspectos relacionados con la planificación, el manejo y el financiamiento de las áreas protegidas, así como con las amenazas que estas enfrentan.