Europe's forests can play a key role in helping mitigate the impact of climate change, a report described as the most comprehensive of its kind has concluded. Europe is home to 25% of the world's forests, which absorb about 10% of the EU's annual emissions, the study added.
The report, presented at the Forest Europe conference in Oslo, said improved policies had increased tree cover but that the risks of fire and disease were growing. 'We are benefiting now from the wise and brave decisions made in the past,' said Kit Prins, former UN timber chief, as he presented the findings to delegates.
'The State of Europe's Forests 2011 report looks at the decisions being taken now, and we hope that people in the future will look back on these decisions positively,' Mr Prins observed. He added that Europe was the most forest resource-rich region in the world, with one billion hectares covering about 45% of the region's land area, roughly 80% of which was located within the Russian Federation.
Mr Prins highlighted challenges including nitrogen deposition exceeding critical levels in many areas, increasing disease and insect infestations affecting one in five trees, and forest fires of particular concern in Russia and southern Europe. 'Despite efforts to address the problem, the overall area affected is not falling,' he told delegates.
In his opening address, Crown Prince Haakon of Norway said forests provided almost a third of the world's population with food, fuel or medicine, and acted as a 'safety net in natural disasters'. He stressed that 'capacity building, good governance and increased international co-operation are necessary in order to secure sustainable forest management'.
The prince described Forest Europe, which has its secretariat based in Norway, as an 'important initiative' showing what could be achieved through international collaboration. The ministerial conference in the Norwegian capital concludes on Wednesday.
