CEPF Annual Report 2008-2009

Brüssel

2009

36 S.

Monographie

16492

168613

The year passed has been yet another one, where forestry has been in the centre of the political agenda in the European Union, on the Pan-European level and ever increasingly also on the global level. The overarching issue dominating the discussions has been climate change, in particular the scene setting preparations for the summit in Copenhagen in December 2009. Currently the political attention is mostly on the approximately 20 % of the greenhouse gas emissions, caused by forest degradation and deforestation. The success of combating climate change is crucially dependent on reducing those emissions. Remarkably, forests and forestry are offen considered a problem which should be dealt with, rather than perceiving them as the major opportunity to overcoming the threats the human kind faces in climate change. The European model of sustainable forest management and the achievements of European forestry in it give evidence that ordinary, well managed forests have a huge potential in combating climate change. We need supportive policies to enhance the contribution of family forest owners to sustainable forest management and harvest of wood, as a carbon neutral activity with positive climatic effect. As a sector we are able to offer the most efficient and "green" solution for the reduction of emissions. Closely related to the concerns about the speed of deforestation, an increased focus on legality and sustainability of timber has arisen. The European Commission has highlighted these in some recent initiatives, on the legality of timber, the sustainability of forest based biomass and the efforts to make the public procurement "green". It is noteworthy, that the emphasis and the political attention tends at first to be on the problems in relation to forest, forestry and timber and not as much on all the opportunities and potential that forestry already today offers. The challenges for the European forest sector, for the forest owners and for CEPF remain considerable. Having said this, also the opportunities are there to be taken. Luckily, we have the means to influence this positively. We will need to strengthen existing partnerships and to engage additional organisations to have a united forest voice heard. Of crucial importance is to be in time and resource all this accordingly. Sufficient input is key to securing maximum effect and a rewarding outcome. We are in a prime position to turn the challenges into opportunities by working together. Highlighting forests' role as the key to the future is ours to achieve. Promotion of the sustainable forest management and use of forests and wood based products has never been more crucial.