21 October 2015: FOREST EUROPE held two Ministerial meetings in Madrid, Spain. The seventh Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe, held from 20-21 October 2015, adopted a Ministerial Declaration on ’25 Years Together Promoting Sustainable Forest Management in Europe,’ a decision on the future direction of FOREST EUROPE, and resolutions on the forest sector in the center of a green economy and protection of forests in a changing environment. The Extraordinary Ministerial Conference, which convened on 21 October, received the results of the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a Legally Binding Agreement on Forests in Europe (INC-Forests) and agreed to explore ways to find common ground on the draft no later than 2020.

Approximately 220 participants attended the Conferences, including ministers responsible for forests and other high-level representatives of 38 European countries and the European Union (EU), as well as representatives of 17 observer organizations. The seventh Ministerial Conference held roundtables on: forests in the center of a green economy; protection of forests in a changing environment; global challenges at the regional level; future challenges and opportunities; and 25 years of FOREST EUROPE.

In the adopted Ministerial Declaration, participants endorse the updated pan-European indicators and commit to pan-European and national actions, including: providing regional inputs through the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF) to the work of the International Arrangement on Forests; strengthening cooperation with relevant regional and global actors; further developing and updating policies and tools on sustainable forest management (SFM) in order to adapt them to changing circumstances and make them fit for addressing new regional and global challenges; and working together with relevant international organizations when appropriate on elaboration and implementation of approaches for the evaluation of sustainability in forest management.

The resolution on the forest sector in the center of a green economy commits signatories to enhance the role of SFM in a green economy by: improving the understanding and recognition of forest-based economic, social and environmental benefits; enhancing the contribution of SFM in a bio-based low-carbon economy; promoting research and innovation by enabling the necessary conditions; and encouraging the use of wood from sustainably managed forests.

The resolution on protection of forests in a changing environment commits signatories to enhancing protection by: developing pan-European approaches that address new and varied challenges and threats posed to European forests; raising awareness on the vital role of SFM; increasing work on adaptation of forests to mitigate damage at the local and regional scales; and promoting national implementation strategies and guidelines for conservation and use of forest genetic resources.

In the decision on the future direction of FOREST EUROPE, signatories decide to review the FOREST EUROPE structure, procedures and work modalities to make its process more effective and inclusive, with the specifics of the review process to be set out in a forthcoming terms of reference and roadmap to be agreed at the first expert-level meeting after the 7th Ministerial Conference.

The Extraordinary Ministerial Conference received the results of the work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for a Legally Binding Agreement on Forests in Europe (INC-Forests), and agreed to explore possible ways to find common ground on the draft no later than 2020. [IISD RS Coverage of the Meetings] [Conference Website] [FOREST EUROPE Press Release]