CONFERENCE: EP INTERGROUP ON CLIMATE CHANGE, BIODIVERSITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT in association with FUTUREforest
6–7 September 2011
Paul Henri Spaak Building, Brussels P3C050
Hosted by MEP Gaston Franco
Opening speech by H.E. Prince Albert II This two-day conference at the European Parliament, Brussels, to celebrate 2011
the International Year of Forestry focuses on the challenges of sustainable management,
conservation and development of forests in Europe and world wide against a
changing climate.
Divided into two sections, the conference looks at practical solutions on the first day,
organised by the INTERREG IVC project FUTUREforest – which will be launching its final
report on three years of research and knowledge sharing on climate change and forestry
across Europe.
The wider issues involved in bringing together all conflicting needs of the sector will be
highlighted during the second day, run by EP Intergroup on Climate Change,
Biodiversity and Sustainable Development.
I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e t o c e l e b r a t e t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Y e a r o f F o r e s t s –
The United Nations has declared 2011 the International Year of Forests to raise
awareness on sustainable management, conservation and development of forests.
Millions of forest-dependant people play a vital role in managing, conserving, and
developing the world's forests in a sustainable manner. It is estimated that deforestation
and forest degradation are likely costing the global economy between US$2.5 and
US$4.5 trillion a year, more than the losses of the recent and ongoing financial crisis.
Urgent action is needed to protect the values of forests as an ecosystem sustaining local
livelihoods in the face of climate change.
Since Copenhagen, Cancun and Nagoya, the status of forests as a common public good
has become a worldwide achievement, recognising that forest fulfils multiple functions
for society, providing economic, social and environmental benefits. Forest will also be at
the heart of the forthcoming Rio + 20 event with a clear interaction between forest
management and green economy. It has been understood that it is the right time to go
further and to take action.
On the occasion of the 2011 International Year of Forests, it is now time to:
• Promote good practises, solutions, and the efforts done by those engaged in the
sustainable management of forests (producers, retailing groups, consumers);
• Alert on the obstacles met in the field: respect of the populations’ rights, fight
corruption and illegal deforestation …
• Reaffirm the link between the fight against poverty and the fight against deforestation
(timber companies as tool for economic, health and environmental developments…
within and on the edges of their concessions).
I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o n f e r e n c e t o c e l e b r a t e t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Y e a r o f F o r e s t s –
DAY ONE – 6 September 2011 - FUTUREforest
13.45 Policies for sustainable landscapes
Gaston Franco, MEP, Head of the Intergroup forestry branch
14:00 The Green Paper and beyond – a challenge from dedicated foresters
Dr. Georg Wagener-Lohse
14:15 Europe on the way to Durban - climate protection, forestry and agriculture, N.N. DG
AGRI
14:30 Production focused Latvia goes sustainable
Minister of forestry policy, Ministry of Agriculture, Republic of Latvia (TBC)
14:45 More than nature protection – a new deal for Catalan forests
Director of forest policy, Ministry of Agriculture, Catalonia (TBC)
15:00 A new way for forestry – climate proofing Bulgarian Forests
Georgi Kostov, Vice Minister Forestry, Republic of Bulgaria (TBC)
15:15 Coffee break
15:45 City forests as an answer to climate protection
Mayor of the city of Sabinov, East Slovakia (TBC)
16:00 Changing the face of Welsh forestry
John Griffiths, Minister for Environment and Sustainable Development, Wales (TBC)
16:15 Diversity of species backs up resilience
Michel Roucan, Auvergne
16:30 Landowners doing it together – commitment to integrated forestry
Jörg Vogelsänger, Minister for Infrastructure, Land Brandenburg (TBC)
16:45 Panel discussion on challenges for the European parliament to support sustainable
forestry – MEPs and representatives from nature protection and forestry organizations
17:45 A view forward
Gaston Franco, MEP, Head of the Intergroup forestry branch
18:00 Buffet
8.00 – 8.50 Registration – Main entrance of the European Parliament, Altiero Spinelli Building,
Side Place du Luxembourg
Opening Session
09.00 – 09.10 Welcoming words and introduction by Gaston Franco, Member of the European
Parliament (MEP)
09.10 – 09.20 Opening speech by H.E. Prince Albert II
09.20 – 09.30 Opening speech by Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action (TBC)
09.30 - 09.35 Video statement by Janez Potonik, European Commissioner for the Environment
09.35 – 09.45 Opening speech by EP President Jerzy Buzek (TBC)
09.45 – 09.55 Opening speech by Julia Marton-Lefévre, Director General of IUCN (TBC)
09.55 – 10.00 Family Picture
10.00 – 10.30 Coffee Break
Round-table I
Forests: An issue far beyond just environmental questions
Moderator: MEP Struan Stevenson (TBC)
10.30 – 10.45 The State of the World’s Forests in 2011 – Eduardo Rojas-Briales, Assistant Director
General - Forest Department - FAO
10.45 – 11.00 The link with health and local economic development –Professor Jacqueline McGlade,
Director of the European Environment Agency
11.00 – 11.15 An issue of Food security – Franz Fischler, Chairman of the RISE Foundation, Former
Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development (TBC)
11.15 – 11.30 An issue linked to Human Rights – Christophe Bouvier, Regional Director for Europe,
UNEP (TBC)
11.30 – 12.15 Debate
12.15 – 13.15 Walking Lunch
DAY TWO – 7 September 2011 - EP Intergroup on Climate
Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development
Round-table II
Sustainable exploitation of forests: the role of research, knowledge-base and information-sharing
Moderator: MEP Cristina Gutierrez-Cortines (TBC)
13.15 – 13.30 Sustainable management of forests in Europe through research, knowledge-base and
information sharing – Georg Erlacher, CEO OBf Austria, EUSTAFOR
13.30 – 13.45 Monitoring and observing systems: Europe’s contribution through GMES –
Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Director of the European Environment Agency
13.45 - 14.00 The importance of knowledge sharing –Dr Sjur Baardsen, Chair of the Forestry Domain
of COST - European Cooperation in Science and Technology
14-00 – 14.30 Debate
Round-table III
Preserving the multiple benefits of forests
Moderator: MEP Theodoros Skylakakis (TBC)
14.30 – 14.45 The results of ENPI-FLEG and the work on Forest Landscape Restoration –
Julia Marton-Lefévre, Director General of IUCN (TBC)
14.45 – 15.00 Partnerships: the example of Voluntary Partnership Agreements: challenges of the
newly signed VPA with Indonesia – Saskia Ozinga, Campaign Coordinator, FERN (TBC)
15.00 - 15.15 Sustainable developments in the Amazonian ecosystems: French-Brazilian cooperation
- Fernando Henrique Cardoso, Former President of Brazil (TBC)
15.15 - 15.30 An example of best practice: the conservation program on forests in Madagascar –
Air France
15.30 – 16.15 Debate
16.15 – 16.45 Coffee Break
Round-table IV
Innovative financing tools and programs for sustainable management of forests
Moderator: Angel Angelidis, Advisor for forestry issues, Directorate B “Structural and Cohesion Policies”,
DG IPOL, European Parliament
16.45 – 17.00 Innovative financing in the fight against degradation and deforestation –
Jacques Le GUEN, Member of the Parliament in France (TBC)
17.00 - 17.15 Forestry measures under the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy –
Inazio Martinez de Arano, Executive President of USSE
17.15 – 17.30 REDD+/LULUCF – Erik Solheim, Minister of Environment of Norway (TBC)
17.30 – 18.15 Debate
18.15 Closing remarks by the Chair
Cocktail reception
Media coverage by (TBC):
• Arte
• TV5
• France2, France3, France5, France24
• RFI
• Euronews