Commission consults on new EU Forest Strategy

As part of the European Green Deal, the Commission has published an online public consultation on the development of a new EU Forest Strategy. The strategy, which the Commission will adopt later this year, will build on the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2030, cover the whole forest cycle and promote the many services that forests provide. It will also aim at ensuring healthy and resilient forests that contribute significantly to biodiversity and climate goals, reduce and control natural disasters, secure livelihoods and support a circular bioeconomy and rural communities. Furthermore, the strategy will help the EU to meet its international commitments and will form the basis of a consistent and holistic approach on forests. It should allow strong EU leadership internationally, as part of the preparations for the Biodiversity COP15 in Kunming and in the context of the United Nations’ 2030 sustainability agenda, the Paris Agreement, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Convention to Combat Desertification. The consultation seeks the views of citizens, economic operators and all other actors on how to overcome the challenges facing our forests, in particular in relation to climate, biodiversity, rural areas, socio‑economic welfare and disaster risk management. It also looks into how to mobilise EU support instruments, forest monitoring, forest-based industries, and the EU’s target of planting three billion trees by 2030 while ensuring the EU’s global leadership. The consultation is open until 19 April 2021. More information is in the news release.