What is the New York Declaration on Forests?

The New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) is a political declaration calling for global action to protect and restore forests. It offers a common, multi-stakeholder framework for forest action, consolidating various initiatives and objectives that drive forest protection, restoration, and sustainable use. Adopted in 2014, the NYDF is the major reference point for global forest action.

Its ten goals include halting natural forest loss by 2030, restoring 350 million hectares of degraded landscapes and forestlands, improving governance, increasing forest finance, and reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation as part of a post-2020 global climate agreement. If you are interested in endorsing the NYDF or learning more, click here. There are currently over 200 endorsers, including: national governments, sub-national governments, multi-national companies, Indigenous Peoples and local community organizations, non-governmental organizations, and financial institutions. These endorsers have committed to doing their part to achieve the NYDF goals and follow its accompanying action agenda.

History of the NYDF

In response to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s call for bold pledges to address climate change in advance of the UN Climate Summit 2014, an alliance of governments, companies, indigenous peoples and NGOs announced the New York Declaration on Forests - the first global timeline to slow and end forest lost. The New York Declaration on Forests was endorsed at the 2014 Climate Summit by more than 150 governments, companies, indigenous peoples and civil society organizations committed to doing their part to achieve the Declaration’s ten goals and follow its accompanying action agenda. Since then, the number of endorsers has grown to over 200 and new endorsers continue to sign-on.

Although voluntary in nature, the Declaration was backed up by specific commitments to action including a supply chain revolution among major commodity traders; a pledge by indigenous peoples to protect hundreds of millions of hectares of tropical forests; new commitments from forest country governments to reduce deforestation or restore degraded lands; new bilateral and multilateral programmes to pay countries for reduced deforestation over the next six years; and new procurement policies for several of the largest forest commodity importer governments.

How does the NYDF relate to other global goals?

The NYDF has roots in other processes, and its aims overlap with the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement adopted in 2015. Complementary processes include the 2011 Bonn Challenge to restore 150 million hectares of degraded land by 2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, which include at least halving the loss of all natural habitats. The declaration includes ambitious targets to end natural forest loss by 2030, with a 50% reduction by 2020 as a milestone toward its achievement. In addition, the declaration calls for restoring 350 million hectares of degraded and deforested lands by 2030, supporting the private sector in eliminating deforestation from the supply chains of major agricultural commodities by 2020, and providing financial support to reduce emissions related to deforestation and forest degradation. Achieving the NYDF goals could reduce the global emissions of greenhouse gases by 4.5–8.8 billion metric tons every year – equivalent to the United States’ annual emissions.

History of the NYDF Global Platform

The NYDF Platform was founded in 2017 in response to NYDF endorsers’ requests for a dedicated, multi-stakeholder platform to re-invigorate political endorsement of the NYDF, to facilitate coordination and communication, to share best practices, resources and lessons, and to support ongoing monitoring of progress. The Secretariat for the NYDF Global Platform is provided by the United Nations Development Programme, in partnership with the Meridian Institute and Climate Advisers. The NYDF Platform operated separately from the NYDF Progress Assessment, which is coordinated by Climate Focus.

Endorsers of the NYDF

The Declaration is currently endorsed by over 200 entities including more than 50 governments, more than 50 of the world’s biggest companies, and more than 50 influential non governmental organizations and Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
View the full list of endorsers here.

If you are interested in endorsing and you meet the criteria included below, please fill out the Endorsement Interest form.

Please note that in order to endorse, you must represent a(n):
  • National or subnational government ministry, department, and/or agency.
  • Company or financial institution.
  • Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities’ organization
  • Non-governmental organization

Further Resources

New York Declaration on Forests (2021)
New York Declaration on Forests (2014)
NYDF Action Agenda (2014)
Press Release: Launch of the NYDF Global Platform
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