UPSC Prelims 2021 Q24: New York Declaration on Forests — Explained
With reference to the 'New York Declaration on Forests', which of the following statements are correct?
1. It was first endorsed at the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014.
2. It endorses a global timeline to end the loss of forests.
3. It is a legally binding international declaration.
4. It is endorsed by governments, big companies and indigenous communities.
5. India was one of the signatories at its inception.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- 1, 2 and 4
- 1, 3 and 5
- 3 and 4
- 2 and 5
Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 4
Statement-wise explanation
- 1: correct — The New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) was announced on 23 September 2014 at the UN Secretary-General's Climate Summit in New York. Governments, companies and civil society groups endorsed it there, so the 2014 Climate Summit was its first endorsement.
- 2: correct — The headline goal is to at least halve the loss of natural forests worldwide by 2020 and to strive to end it by 2030. That is a global timeline to end forest loss. The 2030 part is worded as 'strive to', so it is an aim and not a hard commitment, and it covers natural forests.
- 3: incorrect — The NYDF is a voluntary political declaration and is not legally binding. It was made outside the formal UNFCCC treaty negotiations. It has no compliance mechanism and no penalties, and endorsers sign up by choice.
- 4: correct — At launch it was endorsed by dozens of national governments, more than 30 of the world's largest companies, and more than 50 civil society and indigenous peoples' organisations. Sub-national governments also signed. By 2020, FAO counted more than 200 endorsers. This mix of states, business and indigenous groups is what makes it unusual.
- 5: incorrect — India did not endorse the declaration in 2014 and was one of the few major forest countries to stay out. Reports at the time linked this to India's objection to text tying forests to infrastructure and trade, but those reasons come from anonymous officials. India also stayed out of the 2021 Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land Use.
How to eliminate
There are two quick routes. First, 'legally binding declaration' nearly contradicts itself. Declarations announced at summits are almost always voluntary, and binding obligations come from treaties or protocols. Once statement 3 is out, the two options that contain it are gone and only two remain. Second, statement 1 is easy to place, because the name itself points to New York, and the 2014 UN Climate Summit was held there. Statement 1 appears in only one of the two remaining options, so the question is solved. The one fact worth remembering for related questions: India has stayed out of both major multi-stakeholder forest pledges, the 2014 New York Declaration and the 2021 Glasgow Leaders' Declaration. Any statement calling India an original signatory of either one is wrong.
Know more
New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF), 2014
- A voluntary, non-binding pledge launched on 23 September 2014 at the UN Secretary-General's Climate Summit in New York.
- It has 10 goals. The main ones are:
- halve natural forest loss by 2020 and strive to end it by 2030;
- remove deforestation caused by agricultural commodities from supply chains;
-
restore 350 million ha of degraded landscapes and forestlands by 2030. This extends the Bonn Challenge goal of 150 million ha by 2020.
-
Other goals cover governance, finance and emission cuts. Meeting the goals was estimated to cut 4.5–8.8 billion tonnes of carbon emissions a year by 2030.
- Endorsers include national and sub-national governments, multinational companies, indigenous peoples' groups and NGOs. There were more than 200 endorsers by 2020.
- Outcome: the 2020 halving target was missed. FAO's State of the World's Forests 2020 found that forest loss was slowing, but not fast enough. The goals were refreshed in 2021.
How it compares with related pledges
| Pledge | Year | Core target | Binding? | India |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York Declaration on Forests | 2014 | Halve natural forest loss by 2020; strive to end it by 2030 | No | Did not endorse |
| Bonn Challenge | 2011 | Restore 150 Mha by 2020 and 350 Mha by 2030 | No | Joined; target raised to 26 Mha by 2030 (2019) |
| Glasgow Leaders' Declaration on Forests and Land Use (COP26) | 2021 | Halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030 | No | Did not sign |
The pattern to remember: India makes restoration commitments it sets for itself (Bonn Challenge, Land Degradation Neutrality under the UNCCD). It has avoided multi-stakeholder deforestation declarations whose text links forests with trade or infrastructure.
In the news
2020 was the deadline for the declaration's first target, halving natural forest loss. Assessments published around then, including FAO's State of the World's Forests 2020 and the NYDF's own progress reviews, reported that the target had been missed. That brought the 2014 pledge back into the news before the 2021 Prelims.
NCERT Concepts to Revise
- Deforestation: The declaration's targets are framed around ending natural forest loss, so you need to know what counts as deforestation to read its timeline.
- Palm oil: Palm oil is one of the commodities driving tropical deforestation. One NYDF goal targets commodity-driven deforestation in corporate supply chains.