Ecology, Energy, EU – Baltic States, Markets and Companies

Forests and wooded areas cover more than 42 per cent of the EU's land area, roughly the same as agriculture. Forests “shape Europe's landscapes” and serve multiple social, economic and environmental functions: they provide jobs, income and raw materials for industry and for renewable energy. They protect soil, human settlements and infrastructure, and they regulate freshwater supplies.

Forests represent a significant part of European nature and biodiversity. They also regulate local and regional weather. In climate terms, forests act as 'sinks' that absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere when they are growing. However, when they are cut, burned or damaged by storms and pests they become sources of CO2, thereby multiplying climate problems.

On a global level, forests are being lost and degraded at an alarming rate. Deforestation and other land use changes – mostly in developing countries – are responsible for about 15 per cent of global CO2 emissions and for the loss of habitat of an immense number of species.

This “Green Paper” opens a discussion among EU-27 on whether maintaining, balancing and enhancing forest functions should be: a) given more attention, and b) at what level it should be done – EU, national, regional or local, and c) how the “forest policy” should proceed in future.

Hence, the purpose of the Green Paper is to launch a public debate on options for an EU approach to forest protection, forest management and information on forests, also in the context of climate change. The goal is to ensure that EU forests can continue to perform all their social, economic and environmental functions in the future.

Commission’s opinion

“The purpose of this Green Paper is to launch a public debate on options for an EU approach to forest protection, forest management and information on forests, also in the context of climate change. The goal is to ensure that EU forests can continue to perform all their social, economic and environmental functions in the future”.

Janez Potočnik, European Commissioner for Environment, Brussels, 1 March 2009.

European forests’ issues

The European forests are, so far, in a positive condition: the EU forests have continuously expanded for over 60 years in terms of both their area and their wood volume, and they have provided a continuous flow of materials and services.

However, Commission has warned, the relatively stable status of the EU forests cannot be taken for granted. These forests face a number of challenges; therefore, the EU shall provide for new policy approaches in addressing issues related to forest management and protection. These challenges were behind the Commission’s proposal for the “forest green paper”.

The EU forest management stems from the concept of sustainability, which was invented and applied in forestry several centuries ago, well before it was taken up in other policy areas. However, forests provide multiple social, economic and environmental functions, which will require an even more balanced approach to enable sustainable management of forests.

According to the Commission, an important part of the Green Paper’s discussion will be on the impact of climate change, as forests will inevitably be affected by the changing climate. A changing climate poses fundamental challenges for sustainability. “This is why, the Commissioner argued, our established knowledge and management tools may need to be reviewed, and some may need to be revised, which requires new knowledge and adequate information on the state of forests”. The ultimate paper’s purpose is to benefit the forest sector and peoples’ wellbeing.

The Green Paper is one of the follow-ups to the last year's White Paper on adaptation to climate change. However, there are several other reasons behind Commission’s intention to start this reflection now.

Forest strategy’s focal points

The EU Forestry Strategy was adopted more than a decade ago and is no longer adequate to modern challenges’ response. Besides, the EU Forest Action Plan expires in 2011, which makes it timely to consider the changes in society's demands on forests and draw conclusions for the future.

The Commissioner mentioned four main changes to be taken into account in analysing challenges posed by climate change:

• first, increasing concern about the continuing loss of biodiversity, despite advances in protected areas;
• second, demands on the recreational and amenity services of forests are growing;
• third, forests are expected to play a key role in achieving EU targets for renewable energy, putting new and additional demands on forest productivity; and
• fourth, these changes are taking place in the context of a recent slowdown in the expansion of Europe's forest area.

The Commission expects a broad participation in the debate from the EU Institutions, member states, the public and all interested stakeholders. Their responses to the Green Paper will inform and guide the Commission on whether – and what – additional action is needed at EU level to maintain the productive and protective functions of forests, and to enhance the resilience of EU forests in view of climate change and biodiversity loss.

On wilderness policy:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/natura2000/wilderness/index_en.htm

On biodiversity:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/index_en.htm