Forest and happiness

The annual World Happiness Report (WHR) of the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) of the United Nations sets out 8 indicators, of which there are closely related criteria. environmental issues such as indicators of healthy life years compared to average life expectancy, criteria of positive and negative reactions,...
In addition, other factors are also related to issues of economic development, ensuring people's lives such as income, employment, etc.

The connection between forests and happiness evokes many thoughts.

From 2016 to 2022, Vietnam from 96 to 77, this is a relatively high ranking compared to a country with a low middle income. Research results show that Vietnam is a country where people live quite optimistically and love life.

In the Document of the 13th Party Congress, happiness is identified as the goal of the whole society, the development aspiration of the country, and the supreme standard of the Vietnamese family. Those are important guidelines for national governance, making happiness a realistic goal in national development.
Accordingly, the National Happiness Index can be shaped on three aspects: economic development to constantly increase material wealth, focus on social development through focusing on improving people's living, and economic development. environmentally sustainable development. The socio-economic issues mentioned here are also the three development pillars that the forestry industry is aiming for.
Over the years, implementing strategies for forestry development, the forestry sector has always achieved and exceeded in maintaining the forest cover rate. Vietnam's forest cover rate from 2016 to now has increased from 41.19% to 42.02% (an increase of 0.83% is equivalent to about 270,000 ha of additional forest).

To get this number, from 2016 to now, the work of forest protection, fire prevention, and fighting has continued to make much progress. The work of afforestation, zoning, and regeneration has achieved many results. The whole country has planted an average of 235,000 ha of concentrated forest per year. On average, 221,000 ha/year of production forest and about 14,000 ha/year of special-use protection forest. Besides, it has planted an average of 63 million scattered trees/per year and regenerative cultivation on average of 278,000ha/per year.

The above results have contributed to enhancing the added value of forest products, contributing to the national economic development. Specifically, forestry production value increased on average from 5.5 to 6.0%/year; The export value of wooden furniture and forest products is constantly increasing, bringing in 17.09 billion USD in 2022, of which there is a contribution from about 80% of wood materials from concentrated plantation forests in the country with an output of about 20.5 million m3/year.

From afforestation to increasing the rate of forest cover, the forestry sector has indirectly contributed to hunger eradication and poverty alleviation, attracting over 25 million workers to forestry production, processing, and services. to increase income, create jobs and develop people's livelihoods.
It should also be added that increasing the rate of forest cover is the goal of sustainable environmental development, which is one of the important indicators in the Happiness Index.

If a country trades resources, deforestation, and the environment for "a growth coin", it will be able to increase GDP, but people will hardly be happy because of industrial smog, waste, and pollution. environment, biodiversity loss, destruction of the natural landscape,...
From there, affecting the health and feeling of happiness of the people. For many years, the Party and State have always affirmed that they do not trade the environment for economic growth, in which forestry is an economic sector for the sake of the people's environment.

Healthy forests for healthy people

According to the UN's Global Forest Goals 2021 report, forests are home to 80% of all terrestrial species, and 75% of the world's accessible clean water comes from forests. forested area. About a third of the world's population, or 2.4 billion people, use wood and firewood from forests as energy for cooking and heating. Also, about 40% of the world's renewable energy comes from forests, similar to solar, hydroelectric, and other combined energy sources.

According to this report, forests also have a direct relationship with human health, forests provide food sources, provide herbal medicines for up to 80% of developing countries and 25% of developing countries. in developed countries.
Forests also supply products that are raw materials for medical supplies. Statistics also show that 75% of infectious diseases come from animals and often appear when forests are destroyed. Being in the forest and near the forest can activate the immune system, improve the psychological state and help people relax.

This year's International Day of Forests 21/3 has the theme "Forests and Health".

This year's International Forest Day 21/3 has the theme "Forests and Health" with the message "Healthy forests for healthy people".

This is a very meaningful message in the context that we have just gone through a period where the Covid-19 pandemic has devastated people's health globally, and there are still many potential risks ahead that make us slow down. come back to reflect, change their minds to return to the basic values of nature, and realize that protecting forests and protecting the environment is necessary for people to live peacefully and healthily.

Because only when we live peacefully and healthily, can each of us have a Happy life.

Via: nongnghiep. vn