Brussels, 11/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 11 June, European environment ministers adopted conclusions on measures to be taken for forest protection and for preparing forests for climate change. They also adopted a text on action to be undertaken to combat water scarcity and drought in certain regions of Europe.
According to the text of the conclusions, the Council aims to ensure, mostly through sustainable management, that forests continue in the future to provide the goods and services that they provide at present. It considers it is necessary to step up efforts with a view to defining new methods of cooperation and coordination at EU level, within the framework of the European Union's forestry strategy and the EU action plan for forests, taking duly into account the principle of subsidiarity (forest management mainly falls within the scope of member state competence).
Forest information. Ministers emphasise the importance of having a comprehensive and holistic overview of all relevant forest information systems at national and EU level. The Council encourages the collection at European level of information on forests gathered by member states and other relevant fora, inter alia, through existing European forest information systems such as the European, Forest Data Centre. It also reiterates the need to further develop, as appropriate (this being a last minute addition to take into account reticence expressed by some member states), an EU forest monitoring and information system (taking into account relevant existing structures and processes at national, pan-European and international levels).
Sustainable forest management. Member states underline the need to identify and assess options for better integrating forest fire prevention into EU funding instruments. Finally, they recommend strengthened cooperation and coordination within the EU and at the international level for sustainable forest management, especially forest protection.
Furthermore, the Council adopted conclusions whereby it notes that water scarcity and drought are already a serious problem in many regions of Europe and that the situation could grow worse because of climate change and the growing demand for water. Countries likely to be faced with a serious water scarcity situation or drought, including desertification, are called upon to develop, as needs warrant, coordinated water scarcity and drought management plans, integrating them into general planning on relative water issues set out in the water framework directive. (L.C./transl.jl)