Oct 19, 2009, 18:52 GMT
Buenos Aires - The World Forestry Congress on Monday began debating in Buenos Aires the vital importance of woodlands in relation to hot topics like food security and climate change.
The 13th meeting of the congress was officially kicked off late Sunday under the slogan, Forestry in Development: A Vital Balance.
Jacques Diouf, the director-general of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), said the sustainable use of forests is vital to guarantee food for the growing world population.
Organizers expected 4,500 people from 160 countries to take part in the congress through Friday to discuss aspects of forestry related to energy and climate change.
According to the Centre for International Forestry Research, more than 1 billion people depend on forests for food, lodging, medication and fuel.
Forests cover some 15 per cent of the Earth's surface and hold 50 per cent of its animal species. They sequester 15 per cent of the planet's emissions of greenhouse gases and prevent soil erosion.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) warned that 13 million hectares of forest are lost every year. The non-governmental organization stressed that deforestation leads to biodiversity loss and destroys an environment that is key for the subsistence of indigenous communities and of empoverished groups. The WWF further highlighted the fact that deforestation worsens climate change.
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