Minister of State Pippa Hackett along with other European forestry ministers adopted the Forest Europe resolutions, on the subjects of adapting forests to climate change and the future of European forests.
The senator delivered a statement to the Forest Europe Ministerial Conference that was held this week in Bratislava, Slovakia.
Forest Europe is a pan-European voluntary political process for intergovernmental dialogue and cooperation on forest policies in Europe.
There are 47 signatories to it (46 countries and the EU). Forest Europe develops common strategies for these signatories on how to protect and sustainably manage their forests.
Forest Europe resolutions
At the conference, the ministerial declaration ‘The future we want: the forests we need’ and ministerial resolution ‘Adapting pan-European forests to climate change’ were signed by the ministers.
According to the European Commission, these documents “provide further commitment for cooperating on the protection and sustainable management of forests in the pan-European region”.
“A comprehensive set of actions aim to further promoting sustainable forest management as well as to protect forests against the effects of climate change and enhance their resilience and health,” the commission noted.
Regulating climate and supporting biodiversity
“The world’s forests play an important role in regulating our climate and supporting biodiversity but they are also vulnerable to the impacts of rising temperatures,” Minister Hackett said.
“Climate change will continue to have significant impacts across many habitats and species.
“In Ireland, we have published a Climate Change Adaptation Plan and a strategy for the sustainable development and conservation of forest genetic resources.
“These plans are important and bring together existing knowledge and expertise to chart a path forward to identify the likely risks and adaptation strategies for the future.”