Forests at the heart of Sustainable Development

7 February 2019. High-Level Conference on Forests at the heart of Sustainable Development

The event shed light on the diverse social, economic and environmental benefits linked to the sustainable management of forests, as well as to highlight forests and trees’ contribution to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

The focus was given on illustrating the socio-economic benefits linked with forest resources as well as to underlining their crucial role in sustaining livelihoods and improving both rural and urban landscapes. The conference also provided an opportunity for institutional and multi-stakeholder exchange of views on the significance of forests for bringing about sustainable development, while raising public awareness about forest conservation and restoration, sustainable forest management and forest value chains, and the various socio-economic utilities of forest products and services.

Panel 1: Uncovering forests' contribution to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

• Thierry Lucas, Head of Brussels office, UN Environment  
• Adrian Bebb, Senior Campaigner for Food, Agriculture and Biodiversity Programme, Friends of the Earth Europe  
• Thais Linhares-Juvenal, Team Leader Forest Governance and Economics, Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 
• Anke Schulmeister-Oldenhove, Senior Forest Policy Officer, WWF European Policy Office 

Panel 2: Intra-EU forest policies and sustainable forest management 

• Andrea Vettori, Deputy Head of Unit, European Commission’s Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV) 
• Luc Bas, Director of European Regional Office, IUCN
• Bernard de Galembert, Innovation and Bioeconomy Director, Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) 
• Christine Farcy, Chair of the European Forestry Commission and Senior Research Fellow, UCLouvain 

Panel 3: Sustainable forest management for sustainable development: the way forwar

• Marjeta Jager, Deputy Director-General, European Commission's Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development (DG DEVCO) 
• Mette Wilkie, Chief, Forestry Policy and Resources Division, Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 
• Massimiliano Paolucci, Special Representative to the European Union, World Bank 
• Hannah Mowat, Campaigns Coordinator, FERN