This book offers information and insights into the potential of market and policy instruments in improving the state of the world's forests. It advocates the use of the concept of optimal mix of markets and policies as an approach to view the appropriate and operational roles of market and government in dealing with forestry issues. It does not offer a list of policy recommendations to be used as a general tool to combat the threats facing the world's forests. Obviously, the optimal mix of markets and policies must depend on the varying national and local conditions and, more specifically, on the level of development. The contents of this volume are organized in five Parts. Part I, Editorial Perspectives, briefly reviews the outline of the book and analyses the balanced use of markets and policies to support world forests towards sustainable forest management. Part II reviews changes and trends in society and environment outside the forest sector. After all, the evolution of forestry and forest industries is more dependent on these external changes than on changes internal to the sector. Two important aspects that may strongly affect the future of the forest sector are covered: the potential of wood biomass in replacing oil and the global freshwater outlook. Part III focuses on the importance of forests and is primarily aimed at those outside the forest sector. Current innovations in information technology and the fast removal of government regulations have enabled forest industry corporations to invest on a larger scale in optimal locations worldwide. The rapid expansion of forest plantations in the South is a response not only to globalization but also to the expanding conservationpressures in the North. Part IV is the global forum that introduces a few topical forest sector issues affecting the world as a whole. However, these tend to be very complex and can rarely be adequately covered from a single perspective. Therefore, discussants were invited to bring up additional points of view. Forests have great potential in the control of climate change. This is analyzed through both the increased use of wood for energy and the possible forestry investments by Northern nations in the South to cope with the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol. The interlinkages of forests and water are also highlighted. Part V is entitled Regional Forum. Its purpose is to analyze globally relevant continental issues. Interregional studies are followed by articles focusing on Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Russian Federation. The role of the G8 economic powers in the development of the world's forests is studied from the days of imperialism to the current Action Programme on Forests, and the implementation of the programme is followed up. A number of comparative analyses of countries are presented. The impacts of globalization on the forest sector in the Russian Far East and reforms in support of sustainable forest management in Russia are the two final themes of the book.

This book addresses current global and regional issues concerning the world's forests, societies and the environment from an independent and non-governmental point of view. A main message is that cooperation on a global scale is not only commendable, but essential if solutions to the problems facing the world's forests are to be found. To achieve this, modern science needs to find a clearer picture of relationships between forests, human activity and the environment and of the consequences of environmental change for the ability of societies to survive. Part I, Editorial Perspectives, is analyzing the ongoing globalization processes of forests, societies and the environment. Part II, Society and Environment, reviews worldwide trends with significance for the future of forests and forestry. While the trends are influenced by forest sector issues, that sector is influenced to a much larger extent by external factors - such as demography, urbanization, or technological development. Part III, Importance of Forests, looks at the value of the goods and services of forests; tangible and intangible; market and non-market; and concludes that failure to recognize their full value is one of the crucial impediments to sustainable development. In Part IV, Global Forum, scientists take up global forestry themes - deforestation, trade and the environment, climate change, biodiversity - with the aim of stimulating wider discussion. Part V, Regional Forum, looks at major themes of particular relevance to Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, North America and Europe, such as farm and agroforestry, corruption and concessions, urban forestry and environmental conflicts. Part VI introduces the special theme- forest sectors in transition economies. Teams of scientists from Russia and China focus on the implications of the transition from plan to market economy, illuminating both the very different nature of the forest sector in the two countries and the different transition paths that they have adopted. In the past millennium the entire world has been discovered. In the past half century the contribution of forests to the economy worldwide has been perceived, while only recently have their societal and environmental benefits been globally recognized. Globalization is a demanding process requiring knowledge and information. This book offers knowledge, facts and information &endash; but also values from diverse human and cultural perspectives &endash; about world forests, society and environment to help us towards equity in our use of the global forest, to create a clearer vision on a unasylva.

This book offers information and insights into the potential of market and policy instruments in improving the state of the world's forests. It advocates the use of the concept of optimal mix of markets and policies as an approach to view the appropriate and operational roles of market and government in dealing with forestry issues. It does not offer a list of policy recommendations to be used as a general tool to combat the threats facing the world's forests. Obviously, the optimal mix of markets and policies must depend on the varying national and local conditions and, more specifically, on the level of development. The contents of this volume are organized in five Parts. Part I, Editorial Perspectives, briefly reviews the outline of the book and analyses the balanced use of markets and policies to support world forests towards sustainable forest management. Part II reviews changes and trends in society and environment outside the forest sector. After all, the evolution of forestry and forest industries is more dependent on these external changes than on changes internal to the sector. Two important aspects that may strongly affect the future of the forest sector are covered: the potential of wood biomass in replacing oil and the global freshwater outlook. Part III focuses on the importance of forests and is primarily aimed at those outside the forest sector. Current innovations in information technology and the fast removal of government regulations have enabled forest industry corporations to invest on a larger scale in optimal locations worldwide. The rapid expansion of forest plantations in the South is a response not only to globalization but also to the expanding conservationpressures in the North. Part IV is the global forum that introduces a few topical forest sector issues affecting the world as a whole. However, these tend to be very complex and can rarely be adequately covered from a single perspective. Therefore, discussants were invited to bring up additional points of view. Forests have great potential in the control of climate change. This is analyzed through both the increased use of wood for energy and the possible forestry investments by Northern nations in the South to cope with the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol. The interlinkages of forests and water are also highlighted. Part V is entitled Regional Forum. Its purpose is to analyze globally relevant continental issues. Interregional studies are followed by articles focusing on Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, North America, Europe, and the Russian Federation. The role of the G8 economic powers in the development of the world's forests is studied from the days of imperialism to the current Action Programme on Forests, and the implementation of the programme is followed up. A number of comparative analyses of countries are presented. The impacts of globalization on the forest sector in the Russian Far East and reforms in support of sustainable forest management in Russia are the two final themes of the book.