International Day of Forests 2024: Date, History, Theme And Significance

International Day of Forests 2024: Nature plays a significant role in the lives of people. As part of nature, forests are essential for our mental and physical health and to manage the climate crises. The UN has, therefore, dedicated March 21 as the International Day of Forests.

Forests are vital for ecological balance as they reduce pollution and help to bring rainfall. According to reports, about one-third of the land mass of Earth is covered with forests, but this is not equally distributed across the globe. Though human survival is linked to forests, the rampant destruction of green cover that has escalated manifold poses grave threat to the planet.

This day is, therefore, important for people to understand and learn more about forests.

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) declared March 21 as the International Day of Forests (IDF) in 2012 to create awareness about the significance of all types of forests. 

This year’s theme for International Day of Forests is 'Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World'.

Collaborative Partnership on Forest (CFP), a voluntary arrangement among 16 international organisations and secretariats, has shared a video elaborating on this theme.

The video explains how technology can help industries switch to renewable resources. "Innovation is unlocking the forest's long-kept secrets, buried deep under the bark of trees are powerful solutions," the video stated.

The video further mentioned that the chemistry of trees allows people to use trees in different ways than one had never imagined. They added that harmful plastics can now be replaced with biodegradable alternatives derived from wood.

For instance, industries can now substitute graphite and rare earth metals in batteries. In case of the textile or fashion industry, new and sustainable fabrics can be used with the help of technology.

The video stated that technology helps to constantly develop new and sustainable materials from trees. These materials can help people heal, provide a shelter to live and as a workplace and simultaneously restrict carbon footprints.

Forests act as natural purifiers around the world. Forests help manage the climate change crisis, maintain the water cycle, and improve soil quality, the society, and eventually the planet. 

A majority of renewable energy is acquired from wood and hence there is a need for sustainable ways to produce this energy. 

On this day, different countries launch initiatives at the local, national, and international levels to organise events. These events involve tree plantation campaigns and other activities that can protect and enhance our green cover.