On 1 and 2 October, Ministers, high-level officials and stakeholders from all over Europe gathered in Bonn, Germany, for the 9th Forest Europe Ministerial Conference.
The speakers and participants came together for the conference to express their support for Forest Europe’s work. The conference was the distinguished conclusion of the current Forest Europe term that began in 2021 and has been led by Germany through the Liaison Unit Bonn. The next term will be beginning in January 2025 with Sweden taking over as the new Chair.
The sessions in the conference focused on the three workstreams of the past term, namely Sustainable Forest Management (SFM), Green Forest Jobs and Forest Education, and forest resilience supported by the establishment of the pan-European Forest Risk Facility (FoRISK). The statements from the panellists, speakers and interventions all expressed strong support for the continuation of Forest Europe’s work and the importance of SFM. The sessions gave an opportunity for the participants to exchange experiences of implementing SFM in their different national and regional contexts.
CEPF was represented by the President Sven-Erik Hammar and the Secretary General Fanny-Pomme Langue, in addition to which Vice-President Carl Anton zu Waldeck was attending as a representative of AGDW, the Federation of German Forest Owner Associations.
CEPF President gave a statement on “Keeping SFM fit for future” in which he expressed CEPF strong support to Forest Europe process and its framework, reiterated CEPF call to use and build on the SFM concept for any political decision addressing forests.
Prior to the conference, CEPF coordinate the preparation of a joint statement from 11 of Forest Europe’s Observers to express support to SFM concept and the process. All outcomes of the conference are available here. The Bonn Ministerial Decision and the Declaration were signed by 35 signatories. The Ministerial Decision highlights the importance of SFM as a tool to enhance forest resilience and commits the signatories to improve international cooperation on forest risks and increase their commitment to Green Forest Jobs and Forest Education. The Ministerial Declaration emphasizes the importance of continued cooperation through the Forest Europe process, and the promotion of the dynamic concept of SFM.
Group photo (c): BMEL
