On May 8, the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations gave an intervention during Thirteenth Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests, dedicated to the Implementation of the UN Strategic Plan for Forests.

In its statement, the Holy See voiced its support for the efforts of the Forum to bring about an integral improvement in the quality of human life and called for the promotion of better management of the world’s forest resources, since they are being destroyed and altered at an alarming rate, which is depleting their biodiversity. Forests make an essential contribution in regulating the climate and their exploitation comes at a high cost to people, animals and the environment. The Holy See also said that initiatives which aim to conserve forests must also take into account the native communities who have been living there for centuries.

The statement can be found here.