Issue 18: July-August 2002

UN University's Environment and Sustainable Development Programme is launching a new project focusing on forest policy development in central and eastern Europe and the former Commonwealth of Independent States.

The project, which aims to analyze, address and formulate the contribution of research and education to forest policy development in the region, was launched at a high-level international symposium on “Research and Capacity Development for National Forestry Programmes in Countries with Economies in Transition” held in Kaunas, Lithuania, July 1-3. The event was organized jointly by the UNU, European Forest Institute, University of Joensuu-Silva Network, Finland, and the Forestry Faculty of Lithuanian Agricultural University.

The objective of the symposium is to contribute to the understanding of the status of development and implementation of National Forestry Programmes in relation to the environment and transitional process. Countries in transition face major problems in their forest research, higher education and capacity building. While most of these problems are due to prevailing socio-economic conditions, some are sector specific and need to be addressed through structural adjustments and reform.

The new UNU project will support the development of regional networks and research projects concentrating on Russia, Central Asia, the Balkans, Central Europe and Baltic States. For more information contact Libor Jansky.

Home

Copyright © 2002  United Nations University. All rights reserved.