Le dialogue international en politique forestière et les forêts françaises

International negotiations relating to forests have proliferated since the Rio Earth Summit in 1992 entering ever-increasing numbers of forums. The impression given by the international forestry landscape today is one of complexity, non-transparency and apparent un-relatedness to the realities in the field. Following a brief description of international dialogue in the area of forest policy, the article calls on three examples to illustrate the extent to which worldwide, pan-European, EU and national forest issues are intricately interwoven. International negotiations unite actions undertaken by states and intrude through both an “upward” and “downward” process that leads to implementation of concrete measures in the field. It is important therefore, in the interests of French forestry, to consistently take part and actively contribute to international negotiations on forests.