Forests: Europe’s forests to combat climate change

Norwegian Minister of Agriculture and Food, Lars Peder Brekk, today opened theExpert Level Meeting of the Ministerial Conference for the Protection of Forests in Europe (MCPFE).

Europe’s forests provide opportunities that are at present not being fully utilised and which can strengthen climate work even more, Lars Peder Brekk said in his opening speech.

Norway is chairing MCPFE, the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe, which brings together 46 countries and the European Union through a process to meet the challenges facing the forest sector.

• Read the opening speech of Minister of Agriculture and Food, Lars Peder Brekk

Europe’s forests provide opportunities which are not currently being used to their full potential. The MCPFE process has contributed in defining and safeguarding sustainable forest management in Europe. In addition, ensuring the sustainability of forests under changing climatic conditions has to be priorities in the future work of MCPFE. Forests deliver important goods and services for society, such as water protection, biological diversity, wood products and bioenergy.

Forests: Minister of Agriculture and Food Lars Peder Brekk and V. Valentik, form Russia. Photo: Ministry of Agriculture and Food

Today’s MCPFE Expert Level Meeting will contribute towards setting the agenda for the upcoming ministerial conference.

“We are going to discuss the lessons learned since MCPFE started in 1990, and the directions for the future said Brekk. “The work that is carried out now and at the ministerial conference in 2011 will be very important for the future co-operation on forest policy issues in Europe.”

Forests: From left: Co-chairman Piotr Paschalis-Jakubowicz, Polen Co-chairman: Arne Ivar Sletnes, MCPFE Head of Liaison Unit Oslo and Minister of Agriculture and Food Lars Peder Brekk. Photo: Ministry of Agriculture and Food