In the week when the coalition government has announced its controversial proposal to sell off England’s forests, the IUCN is calling for more resources to be dedicated to protecting “invaluable forest wealth” and to restoring degraded forest landscapes.
The world’s biggest environmental union will use the International Year of Forests to make sure the global community understands the real value of forests. “Forests 2011” will be officially launched at the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) Ninth Session, held from 24 January to 4 February in New York. At the event IUCN will announce new forest restoration initiatives of global importance as well as new findings on the economic value of forests.
Julia Marton-Lefèvre, IUCN Director General, said:
“The air we breathe, the food, water and medicines we need to survive, the variety of life on earth, the climate that shapes our present and future - they all depend on forests. 2011 must be the year when the world recognizes the vital importance of healthy forests to life on earth and the central role people play in protecting these forests and using their resources sustainably.”
Forests maintain a stable global climate and should be central to efforts to deal with climate change, according to IUCN. Stewart Maginnis, IUCN Director of Environment and Development, commented: “Forests offer the quickest, most cost effective and largest means of curbing global emissions.”
“Halving forest-based emissions between now and 2020 could provide up to 40% of necessary greenhouse gas reductions for the next decade.”
Forests make significant contributions to economic growth both at national and global level. Around a quarter of the income of forest-dependent communities comes from the goods and services that forests provide. IUCN’s latest findings estimate that locally-controlled forestry yields US$ 130 billion in benefits for the poor each year.
Carole Saint-Laurent, IUCN Senior Forest Policy Advisor (recently named the 2011 're-forestation guru' by the Observer newspaper) said that people everywhere were suffering from or missing out on livelihood and wellbeing opportunities due to lost and degraded forest lands.
She added
“We are talking about taking forest landscapes that are not doing anything for anybody, or not doing enough, and producing something of value through restoration.”
Ray Moulds, Sales Director at Flood Control International, takes a look at how automated sliding floodgates are supporting secondary containment at water and sewerage company sites.
With the UK government demanding a 50% reduction in storm overflow spills by 2029, the era of reactive management is over. Speaking in the House of Commons on 21 July 2025, then environment secretary Steve Reed said, “This Government will cut water companies’ sewage pollution in half by the end of the decade.”
ERG, the leading supplier of odour control systems and industrial gas cleaning & thermal systems, has been awarded the coveted King’s Award for Enterprise.
Welsh Water’s new artificial intelligence-driven tool, ORAI, has been shortlisted for three categories at the prestigious British Data Awards 2026 – underscoring the company’s commitment to using cutting-edge technology to deliver better outcome for customers.
Hear how Scottish Water has completed its £235 million Ayrshire Glasgow Resilience Project - customers across Greater Glasgow, Ayrshire and East Renfrewshire will now benefit from a more secure and resilient water supply.
Hear how United Utilities is accelerating its investment to reduce spills from storm overflows across the Northwest.
Find out more about the remarkable career opportunities on offer at WSP - scroll down to watch the inspirational video.