With reference to the New York Declaration on Forests’, which of the f

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
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2021
The New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) is a non-legally binding political declaration that grew out of the 2014 UN Climate Summit. Let’s evaluate the statements:
1. It was first endorsed at the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014: This is correct. The declaration was launched and endorsed at the UN Climate Summit in New York in September 2014.
2. It endorses a global timeline to end the loss of forests: This is correct. The NYDF includes goals to halve the rate of loss of natural forests globally by 2020 and strive to end natural forest loss by 2030.
3. It is a legally binding international declaration: This is incorrect. The NYDF is explicitly a voluntary political declaration, not a legally binding treaty.
4. It is endorsed by governments, big companies and indigenous communities: This is correct. The NYDF is supported by a broad coalition of endorsers, including national and subnational governments, corporations, indigenous peoples’ organizations, and civil society groups.
5. India was one of the signatories at its inception: This is incorrect. While India participates in various international climate initiatives, India was not among the initial endorsers of the New York Declaration on Forests in 2014, nor has it become an endorser since.
Based on this, statements 1, 2, and 4 are correct.
The NYDF is a voluntary declaration launched at the 2014 UN Climate Summit with ambitious goals for reducing deforestation, supported by a wide range of actors, but is not legally binding and India is not a signatory.
The NYDF aims to mobilize action across all sectors to protect and restore forests as a key part of the climate solution and for sustainable development.