This event aims at providing a better understanding of forest disturbances and the role climate change plays in their increase. It connects science to policy, looking at the ecological, economic and social impacts of disturbances, as well as risk prevention and forest management.

The event is chaired by Göran Persson, ThinkForest President (Prime Minister of Sweden 1996-2006)

Preliminary programme

9:00 Welcome by Göran Persson

9:10 Opening speeches
Miroslav Toman, Minister of Agriculture, Czech Republic
Gabriela Matečná, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Slovak Republic& Forest Europe
Isabel Bombal, Director General, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Environment, Spain
Marc Palahí, Director, EFI

10:10 Climate Change and Global Environmental Challenges
Stefan Rahmstorf, Professor, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany

10:30 Climate Change and Forest Disturbances in Europe
Rupert Seidl, Professor, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Austria

10:50 Bark beetle outbreaks and responses: Presentation of a new EFI study
Tomáš Hlásny, Professor, Czech University of Life Sciences

11:10 Coffee break

11:40 Panel Discussion: How to respond to forest disturbances?
Moderator and panelists to be confirmed

13:00 EFI video on forest disturbances

13:05 Closing words

13:10 – 14:30 Lunch

14:30-16:30 Session “Managing and preventing disturbances: Past, present and future”

Chair: Marcus Lindner, Principal Scientist, EFI

14:30 Increasing the resilience and responsiveness towards forest disturbances: Lessons learnt

Confirmed speakers and topics include:

Introduction: Christoph Hartebrodt, Head of Department of Forest Economics and Management, Forest Research Institute Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Big European storms: Barry Gardiner, Senior Researcher, EFI

Conclusions: Christoph Hartebrodt

15:00 Panel: How to move forward in coordinating European forest risks

Moderator: Christoph Hartebrodt

Panelists to be confirmed

16:30 Closing words

16:35 ‐ 18:00 Networking event with wine and snacks

This event is organized in cooperation with the ThinkForest forum and Forest Europe – Ministerial Conference on Protection of Forests in Europe.