EFI Strategy 2040 – Forests in a changing world

The European Forest Institute (EFI) has launched a major new strategy which will shape the work of the Institute over the next 15 years. 

EFI Strategy 2040 – Forests in a changing world sets out a clear vision and strategic direction, responding to accelerating global change and positioning forests at the heart of efforts to build resilient societies and a healthy planet.

The strategy stems from EFI’s vision of a world where forests and people thrive together, and its mission to connect knowledge and action by fostering co-created solutions between science, policy, practice and society.

Three strategic goals direct the institute’s work in advancing forest knowledge, empowering decision-makers, and strengthening co-creation. The overarching aim is to deepen understanding of forests, support informed and forward-looking decision-making, and help build trust, inclusiveness, and shared ownership of knowledge. 

The institute has identified four main topics, or strategic themes, where it strives to make a difference. 

• Building social‑ecological resilience through sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation and climate‑smart practices;
• Advancing smart and circular forest‑based solutions for sustainable, low‑carbon and circular economies;
• Supporting inclusive and adaptive governance that balances local needs with global challenges;
• Strengthening engagement to enable co‑created, trusted and broadly supported forest‑related solutions.

The strategic goals and themes are grounded in an understanding of global drivers of change which are themselves dynamic and volatile. Interconnected political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and cultural drivers both affect and can be affected by forests and their related sectors. 

“In a world of growing uncertainty, standing still is a risk,” said EFI Director Robert Mavsar. “Strategy 2040 is about turning knowledge into action, supporting forward-looking, evidence-based decisions and cutting through fragmented responses to drive the change that forests and our societies urgently need.”

The Strategy 2040 will be implemented through a five‑year Strategy Implementation Plan, translating ambitions into objectives, indicators, and priorities. Together, the strategy and implementation plan provide a coherent roadmap to keep EFI responsive, impactful and accountable in a rapidly changing world.

Read the Strategy 2040 here. 
 

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