Global Forest Observation Initiative

With the Paris Climate Change Agreement in place, countries have a great need for access to credible information on the extent and condition of their forests and their contribution to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals.

National Forest Monitoring Systems (NFMS) generate important information to inform countries’ decision-making and action on climate change. This includes information to meet international reporting requirements, establish baselines, track progress and develop effective interventions to reduce emissions. The Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI) is a partnership of countries and institutions that assist developing countries to establish NFMS and associated emissions Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) procedures. Through the development of these systems and procedures, GFOI aims to help countries to the initiative’s priority work areas include methods and guidance documentation, capacity building, data coordination, and research and development coordination.

The GFOI is a global voluntary partnership that coordinates international support in forest monitoring to help developing countries address their international reporting requirements and national information needs.

Partners of the GFOI coordinated support to more than 450 activities worldwide. The GFOI’s Methods and Guidance Documentation (MGD) is regularly used by more than 50 countries for a user-friendly guide through the complex process of needs assessment, system design and implementation. It complements the GFOI partners’ own guidance materials and presents these within the context of a complete REDD Measurement, Reporting, and Verification that complies with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Developing countries have made considerable progress in the implementation of their NFMS and associated MRV procedures, with the support of GFOI partners. The resources developed by the GFOI community have been used to compile countless REDD submissions from countries to the UNFCCC and other forums such as the World Bank's Forest Carbon Partnership Facility (FCPF). In recent times, there has been a notable increase in the number of submissions made to the UNFCCC in particular. Furthermore, a significant milestone was achieved by a key GFOI partner country, Mozambique, as the first country to access performance-based funds for verified emissions reductions from the World Bank-administered FCPF in 2021. Since then, both Costa Rica and Ghana have also been awarded performance-based payments from the FCPF. These countries have long been involved in GFOI activities, utilized the initiative’s resources such as the MGD and been supported by GFOI’s capacity building partners.

The Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI) coordinates the collaborative activities of its partners and many other organizations and individuals to help developing countries address decisions taken under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in a manner that is consistent with the good practice guidance set out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The GFOI acts in support of the Paris Agreement, as the collection of improved information on forests is vital for helping countries to tackle climate change since forest landscapes contribute significantly to the global greenhouse gas (GHG) cycle. Moreover, the GFOI is a flagship programme of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO). It was founded in 2011, building on the pilot GEO Forest Carbon Tracking (FCT) initiative, which was founded in 2009.

Through collaborative action, the GFOI partners support developing countries to develop forest monitoring systems which inform their national decisions, international commitments and track progress in climate action. The GFOI is a partnership of countries and international organizations. The initiative coordinates the collaborative activities of its partners and many other organizations and individuals to help developing countries address decisions taken under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in a manner that is consistent with the good practice guidance set out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

The GFOI is governed by the Leads Group, which functions as a quasi-board for the initiative. The Leads Group currently comprises representatives from the governments of Australia, Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States as well as the international Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS), the European Space Agency (ESA), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the World Bank. The Leads consults frequently on their efforts to deliver efficient and effective support that meets developing countries needs for operationalizing and sustained their NFMS within their national institutions.

The GFOI Office (Office) provides secretariat services to the initiative and its components, activities and partners. The Office also provides administrative support to the Leads, who assign day-to-day management responsibility for the initiative to the Office. The Office is responsible for implementing the decisions and strategic vision of the Leads Group. The Office is based within FAO but serves as an independent secretariat for all GFOI partners.