Vienna Call for Action: The Power of Forest based Bioeconomy

Concretely, FAO seeks to support Members to pivot towards practical, context-specific implementation that advances sustainable production and consumption practices; upgrades forest-based value chains; and boosts bioeconomy approaches by developing or integrating within agrifood systems and/or sustainable development strategies, action plans and pathways, including multilateral environmental agreements and national food systems pathways.

10. Moreover, FAO plays a key role in generating and expanding access to data and evidence, supporting national monitoring systems, deploying innovation, advancing coherence across policies and processes, raising awareness on the benefits of strengthening institutional governance and capacities to advance forest-based bioeconomy.

11. Throughout, FAO places people, including women, youth and Indigenous Peoples at the centre of our work and our partnerships- focusing on the most vulnerable- as only inclusive participation and co-creation can translate high-level strategies into action.

12. At the same time, none of the above is achievable without adequate financing.

13. In an era of dwindling official development assistance, FAO supports Members to leverage innovative financial mechanisms, providing the required derisking, assisting them to develop concrete investment plans, and bringing together the necessary public and private sector partners willing to tap into these investment opportunities in forest-based bioeconomy.

Excellencies,

Distinguished delegates,

Ladies and gentlemen,

14. As both the global and development context evolves, the role of forests in support of improving food security and nutrition, reducing poverty and inequalities along with their contribution to biodiversity, climate and other environmental objectives cannot be understated.

15. For this reason, FAO has continuously reiterated at this 21^st session of the United Nations Forum on Forests that forests need to be at the forefront of agrifood systems transformation and the international sustainable development agenda.

16. Therefore, we rely on you, we rely on each other- as partners- to heed this Vienna Call for Action as well as other evidence-based solutions-oriented driven initiatives to deliver on our agreed commitments, bring other partners on board and increase synergies among initiatives to truly leverage the global cooperation required to unlock the full potential of sustainable forest-based economy approaches.

17. FAO stands ready to do its part-together with Members and other partners- to turn the Call and other complementary initiatives into lasting impact.

18. In particular, we look forward to advancing on this hand-in-hand with all of you, the newly forged team as Austria put it, at our next collective milestone the FAO Committee on Forestry in September 2026, where forest-based bioeconomy will be high on the agenda.

Thank you.