Preparing and preserving forests in the face of rising temperatures?

Description

In 2025, European forests are facing an unprecedented intensification of climate-related risks, with a projected doubling of natural disasters by 2100 according to recent scientific analyses. Droughts, dieback, pest outbreaks, and mega-fires are weakening already vulnerable ecosystems and placing the entire forestry sector under increasing pressure. EU Member States must now adapt their forest management models to make them both resilient to climate change, ecologically sustainable, and economically viable. Species diversification, the evolution of silvicultural practices, improved fire prevention, and strengthened scientific knowledge appear as key levers, in a context marked by uncertainties regarding EU funding and incomplete implementation of existing frameworks, notably the 2021–2030 EU Forest Strategy.

Member States face the challenge of coordinating forest policies across all levels, from the European Union to local territories. The issue of financing sustainable forest management remains central, particularly in light of the limitations of certain mechanisms such as carbon farming, and the need to provide effective support to forest owners and local authorities. Lessons learned from recent crises, particularly mega-fires in Southern Europe, highlight the urgency of strengthening prevention, adapting reforestation strategies, and improving European coordination. The workshop will explore ways to support this transition by linking European frameworks, national policies, and local action, improving access to financing, developing operational tools, and strengthening territorial governance.

Initiatives led by municipalities, forest owners, cooperatives, and nature parks already illustrate concrete approaches based on local management, stakeholder dialogue, and biodiversity preservation. They demonstrate the capacity of territories to balance economic uses, carbon sequestration, and climate resilience. These approaches highlight the key role of communal forests and natural areas in local development, while underlining the need to equip them with adequate technical and financial resources. They contribute to making sustainable forest management an essential lever for resilience, ecological transition, and territorial cohesion in Europe.

How can the resilience of European forests be strengthened in the face of the decline of the forest carbon sink (down by one-third over the 2013–2022 period), cumulative climate shocks, and socio-economic pressures (with the Forest Monitoring Regulation postponed to end 2026, to ensure multiple forest uses—biodiversity, carbon sequestration, local economy—in line with the EU Forest Strategy 2030, the forthcoming Forest Monitoring Regulation (2026), and the future European Adaptation Strategy?

Speakers

• Nils BOURLAND, Senior Biosciences Export Officer at the Centre for Climate Change Risk Analysis (CERAC)
• Eric BRUA, Director of the Federation of Regional Nature Parks of France
• Antonella MORGILLO, Meteorologist at the Italian Civil Protection Department, Member of the Board of the EU Mission on Adaptation to Climate Change
• Raphaël VAN YPERSELE DE STRIHOU, Bioengineer specialising in forests and natural area management, Wallonia Region

Moderator: Binta RODRIGUES, Head of Biodiversity at Climate Chance