In the European Union, at least 3 billion additional trees must be planted within ten years. This is one of the measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by the year 2030.
This was outlined by the European Commission in the new EU forestry strategy, which aims to contribute to the climate goals of the European Green Deal to achieve a climate-neutral Europe within thirty years.
Forests are a vital part of the solution to combat climate change and biodiversity loss. By planting 3 billion extra trees across the EU by 2030, the size of the forests will increase and help mitigate climate change.
The European Union currently has 160 million hectares of forest. This accounts for 5 percent of the world’s total forest area. Nearly half of the EU, 43 percent, is covered by forest. Two-thirds of all forests are located in just six countries: Switzerland, Finland, Spain, France, Germany, and Poland.
In three countries, as much as 60 percent of the land area is covered by forest: Finland, Switzerland, and Slovenia. The Netherlands, in this regard, has a modest 11 percent forest cover.
Between 2010 and 2015, an estimated nearly 300 million trees grew annually in the EU. The goal is to double these numbers to 600 million planted trees per year. This means that by 2030 there would be three billion more trees compared to the ‘business as usual’ scenario.
The European Commission will facilitate, motivate, and monitor the planting process. Together with the European Environment Agency, Brussels will launch the citizen project ‘Map-My-Tree’ to enable the public to track the plantings.
Plant and cultivate the right tree, in the right place, and for the right purpose. In practice, this means that the appropriate mix of tree species must be planted, not only in forests but also in agroforestry, agricultural, and urban areas. No trees should be planted in areas of high natural value such as marshes, fens, wetlands, peatlands, and grasslands.