Halen Birleşmiş Milletler Orman Forumu Başkanlığı görevini de yürüten İsmail Belen, Avusturya ev sahipliğinde 23-25 Şubat 2026 tarihlerinde Viyena’da düzenlenen ”
The Country-Led Initiative on Advancing Sustainable Forest-based Bioeconomy Approaches will be convened as Global Summit” e katıldı.
https://www.bmluk.gv.at/en/coli.html
Opening Remarks By
Mr. Ismail Belen,
Chair Of the UNFF Bureau
Global Summit on:
Advancing Sustainable Forest-based Bioeconomy Approaches
23 February 2026
Vienna, Austria
Excellencies, Distinguished Experts and Participants, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Good morning.
It is a great pleasure to be with you today in Vienna.
As a forest engineer by training, I feel particularly honored to join distinguished foresters and friends of forest at this Global Summit.
At the outset, allow me to express my sincere appreciation to Minister Norbert Totschnig and his distinguished team, as well as to the Government of Austria, for their leadership in convening this important and timely initiative.
We gather at a time marked by interlinked global crises — climate change, drought, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, and widening socio-economic inequalities.
Yet even in the face of these challenges, it is essential to recall a fundamental principle reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals: every nation has the right to development, and every person has the right to a prosperous and dignified life.
Achieving this balance between planetary stability and human well-being requires systemic and forward-looking solutions. In this regard, forests and the goods and services derived from sustainably managed forest ecosystems play a truly pivotal role. They are not only ecological assets, but strategic foundations for resilient economies, social welfare including secure water and food, and sustainable development.
At the same time, we must recognize a scientific reality: forests, as living biological systems, depend on sound forestry science and silvicultural methods for their growth, regeneration, and resilience. Without proper management, forests cannot thrive, and we know all too well that poorly managed forests become more vulnerable to fires, pests, and diseases.
This is precisely why advancing Sustainable Forest-Based Bioeconomy Approaches presents such a remarkable opportunity. It creates benefits for nature, forests, economies, and people alike — a true win-win outcome.
But beyond mutual gains, it offers something even more valuable: a pathway for harmonizing human activity with nature, enabling them to progress together rather than in conflict.
As a saying reminds us, “Einigkeit macht stark” — unity makes strength. In our context, this unity must be the partnership between humanity and nature.
In this regard, I warmly welcome “the Vienna Call for Action for a thriving sustainable forest-based bioeconomy”
It provides a timely roadmap for scaling solutions from pilot initiatives to systemic transformation.
Its emphasis on inclusiveness, targeted financing, innovation, and strengthened global cooperation reflects the level of ambition required to address today’s interconnected environmental and development challenges.
Distinguished Participants,
Allow me to reiterate that the United Nations Forum on Forests, as the intergovernmental policy platform continues to work actively with Member States, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests chaired by FAO, and major stakeholder groups to advance implementation of the United Nations Strategic Plan for Forests. Through this collective effort, we seek to halt deforestation, restore degraded landscapes, conserve biodiversity, support food security, mobilize finance, and scale up sustainable forest-based bioeconomy solutions worldwide.
In this broader context, I have the opinion that, the Vienna Call for Action provides an important strategic compass for translating global commitments into coordinated implementation across institutions, sectors, and upcoming international processes.
The months ahead provide a valuable sequence of opportunities to translate ambition into action. On 21 March, the world will celebrate the International Day of Forests under the theme “Forests and Economies,” underscoring the vital contribution of forests to livelihoods, prosperity, and sustainable development.
Shortly thereafter, we will convene at the twenty-first session of the United Nations Forum on Forests in May in New York, where governments and partners will come together to advance implementation and strengthen cooperation, and where I will have the honor of serving for the final time as Chair of the Bureau.
This momentum will continue at the FAO Committee on Forestry session later this year, in September/October and ultimately at the global climate conference to be held in Antalya, Türkiye, in November 2026, where I would be truly pleased to welcome you to my country.
In this context, I believe it would be highly beneficial to develop a forward-looking roadmap for implementing the commitments reflected in the “Vienna Call for Action for a Thriving Sustainable Forest-Based Bioeconomy,” ensuring that these milestones collectively generate coherence, momentum, and measurable progress toward our shared goals.
As I conclude, I would like once again to commend all those who have contributed to this Conference, whose preparations I have had the privilege to follow closely from the very beginning. I extend my warmest regards to the global forestry community.
Thank you very much.
