European Commission adopts New EU Forest Strategy for 2030
The European Commission has adopted the New EU Forest Strategy for 2030, aiming to reach greenhouse gas emission reductions of at least 55% across the EU by 2030.
The Strategy also hopes to achieve climate neutrality in the EU by 2050.
On 16 July, the European Commission announced it had adopted the Strategy, which is a flagship initiative of the EU Green Deal. The Strategy itself contributes to the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.
The European Commission proposed that the New EU Forest Strategy for 2030 would support the EU in delivering its commitment to improve carbon removals by natural sinks, in line with the Climate Law.
Overall, this new Strategy is designed to protect and restore EU forests and their vital role in tackling climate change and biodiversity loss.
Executive Vice-President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, said: “Forests provide a home to most of the biodiversity we find on Earth. For our water to be clean, and our soils to be rich, we need healthy forests. Europe's forests are at risk. That is why we will work to protect and restore them, to improve forest management, and to support foresters and forest caretakers. In the end, we are all part of nature. What we do to fight the climate and biodiversity crisis, we do for our own health and future.”
The European Commission outlined two key objectives:
- Protection, restoration, and sustainable management of forests;
- Ensuring the multifunctionality of EU forests.
Within the Strategy, clear actions are set out to increase both the quantity and quality of EU forests, ensuring they are protected and restored, as well as resilient. In addition, the Strategy encourages the use of alternative ecosystem services and supporting foresters in the development of their forests.
Read more here.
