In 1993 the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama signed the Regional Convention on Climate Change giving a clear signal of commitment to the work on the topic. In 2008, the Heads of State and Government of the SICA member countries, met in San Pedro Sula, Honduras where they established their political commitment by declaring “...aware that climate change is one of the most serious problems facing humanity, that its impacts endanger economic and social development, and that it also increases the vulnerability of our populations and their livelihoods” and decided to initiate a process of broad participation by all sectors of society to build a common strategy to address the impacts of climate change.

The Central American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD) recognizes the need to formulate a Regional Strategy to respond to region´s sustainability challanges both, current and new. The regional strategy shall impulse an environmental-friendly econony that allows poverty and inequity erradication as it should promote sutained, inclusive and equal growth as it is laid in the Declaration of Punta Cana, June 27th 2014 as result of the XLIII Ordinary Head of State to the member countries of the Central American Integration System that agreed to “Support and accompany the validation and implementation process of the Regional Environmental Strategy 2015 – 2020 that CCAD´s promotes”.

The Regional Strategic Program for Forest Ecosystem Management (PERFOR) was approved in June 2008 for 15 years or more (2008-2022+) by the Council of Ministers of the Environment to the Central American Commission on Environment and Development (CCAD) and by the Council of Ministers of Agriculture of the Central American Agricultural Council (CAC) in the framework of the Central American Integration System (SICA).

This document sets out the principles, vision, mission, and objectives for sustainable forest development.

PERFOR has been considered a regional
and strategic, multi-functional, cross-sectoral and ecosystem approach, with aim on guiding and supporting the activities of the Forest Services of CCAD member countries, without replacing the national forestry planning efforts of individual countries.

The Program links and integrates political will and interests with technical processes
the project has a shared vision of regional forestry integration. That is why PERFOR should be seen as an instrument of strategic planning aimed at boosting actions in favour of the management of forest ecosystems.

The execution of PERFOR will be done within the framework of respect for the sovereignty of the countries, taking into account regional asymmetries and the specificities, rhythms, interests and needs of each country
The coordination and facilitation of the Program will be the responsibility of CCAD,
the CCS and national Forest Services, who will be supported
by agencies and regional bodies and international organizations with presence in the region.