In recent years, increasingly intense wildfires have devastated regions across Europe and the world. Greece, Turkey, Italy and Portugal are some examples severely hit in recent years. In addition to being necessary to protect neighbouring cities and their inhabitants from wildfires, the protection of forests is also an important element in the fight against climate change. Indeed, forests act as carbon sinks, absorbing more carbon than they release. Thus, building more resilient forests is crucial to mitigate climate change. Finally, protecting forests also means managing them in a more sustainable way. In this regards, sustainable forest management has for goal to ensure the balance between the ecological, economic and socio-cultural pillars of the management of forests.

This Covenant of Mayors webinar will provide examples of good practices from local and regional authorities in the field: how they limit the risk of natural disaster and how they ensure sustainable forest management. To put these actions and challenges into perspective, this session will also be the occasion to present the New EU Forest Strategy proposed by the Commission.

Speakers:

• Sari Rautio, Chairman, City of Hämeenlinna CEMR spokesperson on environment

• Representative of the Municipality of Riba-Roja de Túria (Spain)

• Deputy Mayor Katarina Luhr, Deputy Mayor for environment and climate in Stockholm (Sweden)

• Peter Löffler, European Commission, DG CLIMA

• Marco Onida, European Commission, DG ENV

Agenda:

10:00 - 10:05 Introduction (Axelle Griffon, Covenant Office)

10:05 - 10:10 Opening remarks (Sari Rautio)

10:10 - 10:20 The New EU Forest Strategy by the Commission (Peter Löffler)

10:20 - 10:30 New initiative for an EU counter tracking tree planting (Marco Onida)

10:30 - 10:40 BECCS negative emission technology and biodiversity in Stockholm (Deputy Mayor Katarina Luhr)

10:40 - 10:50 Building fire-resilience in Riba-Roja de Túria

10:50 - 11:00 Q&A

11:00 - 11:05 Concluding remarks