EU Explanation of Vote – UN General Assembly: Adoption of draft resolution "UN Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation

Excellencies, distinguished delegates,

It is my honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. 

The Candidate Countries Montenegro*, Albania*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, and Georgia, as well as Armenia and San Marino align themselves with this statement.

Let me begin by expressing our sincere appreciation to Mr. Yann Makayat from the Republic of Congo and Mr. Oybek Eshkobilov from Uzbekistan for facilitating the negotiations, as well as the Secretariat for its support. 

The EU and its Member States consider it crucial to sustain our collective efforts under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration and to adopt a holistic approach to ecosystem conservation and restoration that covers all ecosystems. Within this framework, we thank the proponents for their initiative to specifically strengthen global action aimed at halting the loss of forest cover through conservation and restoration efforts in line with sustainable forest management. 

We recognize that sustainable forest management is a dynamic and evolving concept that helps balance the ecological, economic, and social functions of forests, thereby contributing to all three dimensions of sustainable development. We also stress the important role forests play in the fight against biodiversity loss and climate change, including through enhanced climate mitigation and adaptation measures. The European Union and its Member States therefore wish to reaffirm the fundamental importance of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement in any discussion related to forests.  

The UNFCCC process and the standalone Paris agreement remain the primary multilateral tools at our disposal to combat global warming. The Paris legacy has led to major breakthroughs, one of them being the decision taken at COP28 to transition away from fossil fuels. Ten years after the adoption of the Paris agreement, the EU recalls the importance of multilateralism to respond to global challenges.

We regret that consensus could not be achieved on this resolution, despite the remarkable efforts made by delegations throughout the negotiations to achieve consensus. We therefore wish to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to ensuring that the health, vitality and resilience of forests and other ecosystems remain a global priority, recognizing also their essential role in achieving a sustainable and climate-resilient future for all. 

I thank you.

* North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.