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10/06/22 10/06/22 1 Green Paper Green Paper on forest protection and on forest protection and information: Preparing forests for information: Preparing forests for climate change climate change ANNUAL CONFERENCE ANNUAL CONFERENCE of the European Forest Institute of the European Forest Institute 15 September 2010 15 September 2010 Dresden Dresden Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

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Green Paper on forest protection and information: Preparing forests for climate change ANNUAL CONFERENCE of the European Forest Institute 15 September 2010 Dresden. Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment. Afforestation Cork production - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Page 1: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

21/04/2321/04/23 11

Green Paper Green Paper on forest protection and information: on forest protection and information: Preparing forests for climate changePreparing forests for climate change

ANNUAL CONFERENCEANNUAL CONFERENCEof the European Forest Instituteof the European Forest Institute

15 September 201015 September 2010

DresdenDresden

Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG EnvironmentErnst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

Page 2: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

European Commission, DG Environment — Unit B1European Commission, DG Environment — Unit B1 22

EU Involvement in forest issues: Historical Overview

1957 1987

European CommunitiesNo systematic approach to

forestry

AfforestationCork production

Regulation on monitoring of

atmospheric pollution

1992

Regulations on forest fire protection and monitoring

Forestry measures

related to CAP reform

1998 2006

EU Forestry StrategyRural Development

Forest Action Plan

+Stronger

RDR +

LIFE+Regulation

2003

Green Paper on forest

protection & information

Forest FocusRegulation

2010

Page 3: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

Basis of the Green Paper EU Forest Action Plan

Key action 6 : EU compliance with UNFCCC/Kyoto Protocol +

adaptation to the effects of climate change Key action 8 : Work towards a European Forest Monitoring System Key action 9: Enhance the protection of EU forests

Commission White Paper on adaptation to climate change – COM(2009)147

Asks for establishing an EU Framework for Action, Launching a debate on forest protection and information and Adapting the EU Forestry Strategy

Page 4: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

What is at stake ?

Trees and soil as sinks or sources of carbon Output of forest products that can act as sink during

their useful life High expectations for bio-energy supply, especially

with current bio-energy debate Ecological functions that are essential to the earth’s

life supporting systems (70% of species threatened by loss of their habitat)

Protecting forests =both mitigation of and adaptation to climate change

Page 5: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

“Diversity supports multifunctionality”

Socio- Economic functions : Forest based industry = 10 % of EU manfacturing/2.5 million jobs Large downstream value chain Possible imbalance supply/demand > bio-energy 2020 Local importance on non wood forest products Important landscape element (tourism/property value) « Green infrastructure » protects settlements

Environmental functions – ecosystem services: Forests protect soil Forests protect water quality and regulate water quantity Forests are a major repository of terrestrial biodiversity Forests regulate climate and weather Forests as carbon stocks

Functions of EU forests

Page 6: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

Forest fires , mainly in Southern Europe Storms and windthrow more frequent invasive alien species, incl. exotic trees, new pests Fragmentation of ecosystems and holdings Changes in water regime Excessive game density Decline of genetic resources Scarcity of undisturbed areas Impacts of forest management Forest « dieback » at regional level

Forest Protection Challenges

loss of biodiversity and carbonforest functions at risk

Page 7: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

Impacts of climate change on forests

Increase in water stress Increased risk of storm damage Increased fire risk in terms of frequency and scale Changes in nutrient balance in soils Northward/altitude migration of tree species as well as

other organisms Increase in insect outbreaks , e.g. of bark beetles Increase of pests Forest dieback, including damage caused by game and

invasive alien species

Rapid changes may affect ecosystem stability and forest functions

Page 8: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

Tools available now

EU policies: EU Forest Strategy, FAP, CAP (rural development), Natura Directives, Forest based industries, FP7, climate policy, energy, plant health, etc

National policies: National and regional forest programmes, including forest protection plans, national forest inventories, management requirements, legal provisions, etc

Forest management: afforestation, fire and storm prevention & restoration, overall planning with the aim to guarantee multi-functionality of forests

Page 9: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

Current forest information sources

Forest resourcesSFM indicators

Biodiversity

Forest fires

National statisticsEFFIS

EU forest monitoringForest Focus

Life + Forest condition

Forest classification

NFIs

Forest types (EEA)

European Forest Data Centre

&European Forest

Information and Communication

Platform

IACS

Page 10: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

Future forest information needs

Possible forest reporting requirements after 2013 could target on:

A harmonization of definitions and forest inventory systems which assures compatibility and comparability

An agreement on a forest typology Assuring continuity of the forest condition monitoring,

including information on climate (carbon contents of soils), biodiversity (incl. Wilderness and forest fragmentation aspects) and biomass

Assuring continuation of efficient forest fire monitoring and disaster prevention

Page 11: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

21/04/2321/04/23 DG Environment — Unit B1DG Environment — Unit B1 1111

Recent relevant Council conclusions:

International biodiversity beyond 2010 of 22 December 2009

Biodiversity post-2010 of 15 March 2010

forest fire prevention within the European Union of 26 April 2010

Preparing forests for climate change: Forest protection and information in the EU of 11 June 2010

Page 12: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

Where are we ?

International forest protection conference, Valsain/Spain,April 2010

Green Week and forest side session of 3 June 2010

Public consultation on the Green Paper (ended in July 2010)http://ec.europa.eu/environment/forests/fprotection.htm

Public consultation on biodiversity (ends 22 October 2010)http://ec.europa.eu/environment/consultations/biodecline.htm

Page 13: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

21/04/2321/04/23 DG Environment — Unit B1DG Environment — Unit B1 1313

Green Paper public consultationn 254 replies to the consultations were regrouped into the

following categories

Business and industry (48) Governmental and public bodies (55) NGOs (40) Private and forest owners (90) Research and academia (21)

n Analysis started in September 2010n Results expected end of 2010/beginning of 2011

Page 14: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

A POLICY PROCESS

Studies: storms, forest fires, forest protection, dieback, protective functions, biotic agents, …

Valsain Declaration on forest protection of 6 April 2010 Council conclusions, Forest Strategy and Forest Action Plan Opinions/resolutions from the Parliament, CoR, EESC Report on public consultation (2010/2011) White paper on forest protection and information (2011) Legislative proposal (2012) update of the EU Forest Strategy on climate related aspects

Page 15: Ernst Schulte, European Commission, DG Environment

21/04/2321/04/23 DG Environment — Unit B1DG Environment — Unit B1 1515

Thank you for your attention !Thank you for your attention !