Press Releases

2011/06/14: Europe's forests: huge potential in mitigating climate change

Europe is the most forest-rich region in the world. It represents 25% of our global forest resources. Europe’s expanding forests have a huge potential to mitigate climate change. They provide the renewable materials wood and energy’ and foster a green economy. Sustainable forest management practices increasingly promote conservation of biodiversity. But, forests are also threatened by diseases and extreme weather conditions, such as storms, as well as fires. These are the main results which derive from the report on the State of Europe’s Forests 2011, which has been launched today in Oslo, Norway. The launch takes place on the occasion of the FOREST EUROPE Ministerial Conference on the Protection in Forests in Europe. The conference will convene until 16 June. At the conference in Oslo, ministers responsible for forests, as well as highlevel representatives from 46 countries and the European Union meet to take decisions aimed at preserving forests and safeguarding their environmental, societal and  economic benefits for present and future generations.

2011/05/22: FOREST EUROPE and the International Day for Biological Diversity on 22 May 2011

FOREST EUROPE, the pan-European policy process for the sustainable management of Europe’s forests on occasion of the International Day for Biological Diversity on May 22 underlines that its work pays a major role in preserving diversity. Forests are the most species-rich of all terrestrial ecosystems and provide essential benefits to society. In Europe, forest management practices increasingly promote conservation and enhancement of biodiversity and the policies and tools of FOREST EUROPE play an important part in combating global biodiversity loss.

2011/03/30: Sustainable Decisions for Growth and Diversity

Europe’s forests, and the need to safeguard their vital goods and services for our environment and society, will be the centre of attention at the forthcoming FOREST EUROPE Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe on 14-16 June 2011 in Oslo, Norway. Representatives from the countries participating in the FOREST EUROPE policy co-operation process are meeting on 30-31 March in Oslo to prepare the ground for the Ministers’ summit and the important political decisions they will take there. The Expert-Level Meeting represents the final step in the preparation for the FOREST EUROPE Ministerial Conference in June. The conference website, www.foresteurope.org/conference2011, has been launched today and will provide information for participants, professionals in forest related sectors, media and the broad public about the conference.

2011/03/21: Celebrating Forests – Source of the Water of Life

The many benefits that forests provide, including their role in providing clean water, are being celebrated across Europe today and tomorrow - World Forest Day and World Water Day (March 21 and 22). People across the world depend on forests for a wide range of goods and services. Some of these benefits and services, such as biodiversity and timber supplies, are well understood, but others, such as forests’ importance to the provision of clean water to towns and cities, are less widely known, according to FOREST EUROPE.