Better Data, Better Decisions

Better Data, Better Decisions Synopsis

This paper considers how forest monitoring can inform problem-solving, especially on public policy. To examine the factors that determine whether or not forest monitoring results inform problem-solving efforts, a set of positive cases was selected, including Viet Nam and its forest transition in the early 1990s, to accelerate agricultural transition and expand a forest industry, and Cameroon, where important steps were taken to reform the forest concessions regime in the 1990s and 2000s. The adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals has reinforced the importance of science-policy linkages. In the forestry sector, efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) have created opportunities for forest monitoring capacity development over the past decade, which can further support forest management and domestic policy-making in addition to international reporting. The cases examined in this paper show that diverse types of data and analysis on forests contributed to informing both public policy and corporate activities. Information was tailored to the issues at hand and to those involved in decision-making, with operational decision-making using locally specific data, collected and analysed in a timely manner. Thematically rich datasets became the basis for detailed analysis - including through modelling - to identify solutions, and the data and analysis underpinned clear and intuitive messaging to place issues on the agenda of policy-makers.