The 2018 edition of The State of the World’s Forests shines a light on the profound interlinkages that exist between forests and trees and multiple goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Bringing together evidence from a wide range of scientific sources, the analysis indicates how forests are critical to the livelihoods of the world’s poorest people and confirms the vital importance of healthy and productive forests to sustainable agriculture. It provides proof of the significance of forests and trees for water quality, climate and biodiversity, for future energy needs and for designing sustainable, healthy cities. SOFO 2018 draws on eight case studies in countries across continents, describing how actions and landscape approaches that simultaneously address forests, agriculture, food, land use, and rural and national development have led to progress.