Science-policy in action: the role of European forests

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Event start date
Brussels, Belgium

Our Science-policy in Action day was divided into two parts:

Morning session 9:00-13:00
Towards Paris 2015: How can the forest sector contribute?

Forests play a key role in climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration and substitution, for example bioeconomy products replacing fossil-based products. But there are still open issues

  • What role should EU forests and forest sector play in climate targets?
  • Land use and forest (LULUCF) in the context of the 2030 EU climate and energy framework

Our Science-Policy in Action morning session touched on these issues, in the lead up to the Paris climate change negotiations and publication of a new EFI From Science to Policy study in December 2015.

 

Afternoon session 13:00-17:00
ThinkForest in the forest: biodiversity and forest management

The afternoon session took place in the Sonian Forest, 15km from Brussels centre (transportation from the International Press Centre was provided). 

  • Discuss and network in the forest!
  • Presentations on Natura 2000, forest recreation, biodiversity and management
  • Hands-on demonstration of a mobile forest management tool

 

Download the programme

Chair (morning session): Göran Persson, ThinkForest President
Chair (afternoon session): Bo Larsen, Chair of EFI Board 2011-2015, University of Copenhagen 

Our speakers included:

Audun Rosland, Director of the Climate Department, Norwegian Environment Agency 
Peter Wehrheim, Head of Unit Climate Finance & Deforestation, European Commission 
Gert-Jan Nabuurs, Professor, Alterra, Wageningen University 
Annalisa Savaresi, University of Edinburgh 
Emma Berglund, Confederation of the European Forest Owners 
Marco Mensink, Confederation of European Paper Industries 
Sini Eräjää, Birdlife/European Environmental Bureau 
 

Patrick Huvenne, Regional Administrator, Sonian Forest
Daniel Kraus, Senior Researcher, European Forest Institute 
Georg Winkel, Head of Forest for Society Programme, European Forest Institute

Presentations

State of international climate policy, Audun Rosland
Land use and forest (LULUCF) and the 2030 EU climate and energy framework, Peter Wehrheim
A new role for EU forests and the forest sector in the climate targets beyond 2020, Gert-Jan Nabuurs
Integrating biodiversity with forest management and demonstration of mobile forest management tool (part 1, part 2), Daniel Kraus
Natura 2000 and forests: challenges and pathways for implementation, Georg Winkel