On 8 May 2025, the PEFC Forestry Forum 2025 convened in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, under the theme “Shaping the Future of Sustainable Forest Management.” The event was inaugurated by Mr. Nguyen Van Dien, Deputy Director General of the Department of Forestry and Forest Protection.
Approximately 150 delegates, including sustainability experts and both domestic and international enterprises, participated in in-depth discussions on the latest trends in forest management and certification, timber trade, and the sustainable development of the forestry sector.
Organized by PEFC International in collaboration with the Vietnamese Academy of Forest Science (VAFS), the forum served as a platform for businesses, organizations, and individuals engaged in forestry in Vietnam and the region, as well as global PEFC members, to exchange ideas, knowledge, and collaboration opportunities. The aim was to contribute to building a sustainable, efficient, and future-adaptive forestry sector both globally and in Vietnam.
The forum addressed pressing environmental issues such as deforestation and forest degradation, which are global concerns, especially in the context of climate change. According to the FAO’s Global Forest Resources Assessment 2022, the world’s forest area continues to decline, covering approximately 31% of the Earth’s land area (about 4.05 billion hectares). Between 1990 and 2020, around 420 million hectares of forest were lost, with an annual deforestation rate of 10 million hectares from 2015 to 2020. Primary forest loss amounted to approximately 47 million hectares between 2000 and 2020. Agricultural production activities are identified as the main drivers of deforestation, accounting for nearly 90% of global deforestation, with about 60% attributed to commercial agriculture. Reports indicate that deforestation, forest degradation, land-use changes, and forest fires are significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions, contributing approximately 15% of total emissions.
In the face of international and domestic changes, including challenges posed by climate change, trade competition, and increasingly stringent market requirements for forest-derived materials and wood products concerning legality, traceability, sustainability, and environmental integrity, sustainable forest management and certification have become crucial goals for countries striving to meet market demands and contribute to climate objectives.
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is one of the world’s largest forest certification organizations, with approximately 300 million hectares of certified forests globally. PEFC operates independently, comprising national forest certification systems and international organizations. It provides standards for sustainable forest management and chain of custody to meet market requirements, particularly aiming at sustainable forest management. Vietnam became the 50th member of PEFC in 2019.
The Vietnam Forest Certification System (VFCS) was established and operates under the Sustainable Forest Management and Forest Certification Scheme (approved by Decision No. 1288/QD-TTg dated 01/10/2018) of the Prime Minister and was recognized by PEFC in October 2020. VFCS’s strategic goal is to promote sustainable forest management in Vietnam, contributing to the sustainable development of the forestry sector, sustainable development goals, and climate change response. As of April 2025, the area of certified forests in Vietnam reached 655,957 hectares, of which 213,459 hectares are certified under VFCS/PEFC, accounting for approximately 32.53%, aiming to achieve 1 million hectares of certified forests by 2030.
The PEFC Forestry Forum is an annual event organized by PEFC. Vietnam co-hosted the PEFC Forestry Forum 2025 with the theme “Shaping the Future of Sustainable Forest Management,” held from 5 to 10 May 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City. The conference topics included issues related to sustainable forest management, such as climate change mitigation requirements through the Paris Agreement, biodiversity protection through the Global Biodiversity Framework, and deforestation-free production.
Source: vnforest.gov.vn