CEPF President Christer Segerstéen took part in a side event at the UNFCCC Climate Change Talk held on in Bonn on June 8th. The event discussed tools for sustainable forest management, the impact of climate change on forests and the role that forest owners can play in mitigating climate change by way of active forest management.

The side event shed light on how sustainable forest management (SFM) in Europe can contribute in a future climate change regime. Mr. Segerstéen presented the forests owners' views on the challenges and opportunities in adapting forest management to the changing climate. He stressed that as forest owners' simultaneously grow and use forests in a sustainable manner, the role of active forest management in the mitigation of climate change needs to be recognized, Mr Segersteen urged.

The participants discussed the potential role of existing policies and tools for sustainable forest management in relation to climate change measures, such as the land use and land use change methods (LULUCF), as well as ways of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD). The role of logging, plantations and the need for a common definition of sustainable forest management was addressed. The achievements of the MCPFE were presented as the direction to incorporate forest biodiversity protection, reforestation, afforestation and restoration in a cohesive way.

The United Nations Climate change talks are currently convened in Bonn (from 1st to 12th of June). It is expected that the meeting will move the negotiating process forward since delegates discuss the firs draft proposal of amendments to the Kyoto Protocol. CEPF participated in the side event organised by the Government of Norway and the MCPFE Liaison Unit Oslo.

Read more at: http://www.iisd.ca/climate/sb30/enbots/index.html