Ministers Mexico, Chile, Peru they participate in APEC Beijing Environment Forum

Beijing, 6 sep (EFE).-representatives of the forest of Mexico, Chile and Peru ministries today opened in Beijing, the first meeting of the cooperation economic Asia Pacific (APEC) Forum on forestry sustainable development in the region of Asia Pacific.

The event, organized at the initiative of the Chinese Government, was inaugurated by President Hu Jintao, who pointed out that for the next decade his country expected to increase by 40 million hectares the total area of forests, in comparison with the increase that occurred in 2005.

Hu also mentioned that “China is ready to make new contributions to the Green sustainable growth and forestry cooperation in APEC has lot of potential”.

In addition, stressed that the Asia Pacific region has more than half of the forest area in the world and a unique and rich ecosystem.

The theme of the first session of the ministerial meeting which was attended by representatives of 21 countries members of APEC and other international organizations, was to “reinforce regional cooperation by a forest of green and sustainable growth development”, according to official Xinhua News Agency

Is expected at the end of the meeting ministerial morning ensuring publish a “forest Declaration in Beijing”, according to a spokesman for the Chinese Government.

In 2007, the leaders of APEC countries established the objective of increasing the region’s total forest area by 2020 at 20 million hectares

These countries have 53 percent of the world’s forests, 60 percent of the production of forest products and 80 percent of trade in these products.

China proposed to organize the first meeting of Ministers from APEC countries responsible for the environmental in the tenth portfolio eighth informal meeting of APEC held in Japan in 2010, leaders proposed that was greeted with approval by other countries member.

On December 20, 2006 the General Assembly of the Organization of the United Nations recognized that forests and sustainable forest management contribute significantly to the development and the eradication of poverty and declared the international year of Forests 2011. EFE