Commissioner Hogan opens “Our Forests, Our Future” conference in Brussels

Commissioner for agriculture Phil Hogan will open tomorrow morning 25 April the “Our Forests, Our Future” conference which will celebrate forests for their role in combating climate change.

The debates will also address the contribution of the forest sector to innovation, growth and jobs, with a specific focus on the bioeconomy. Commissioners Arias Cañete and Mimica will also deliver speeches and participate in two panel discussions during the two-day conference. The final session on Friday 26 April will focus on protecting forests and promoting sustainable forest management at global level, in line with the work on global deforestation that the European Commission is currently preparing. Forests and other wooded land cover about 40% of the EU territory, and the forest sector provides more than 3.5 million jobs in the European Union. As stated in the Cork 2.0 Declaration, forests and the forest sector can significantly contribute to delivering sustainable solutions to current and future challenges such as reducing the reliance on fossil fuels, protecting biodiversity and adapting to climate change. To conclude the event and mark the EU's commitment to a sustainable forestry sector, Commissioner Hogan, accompanied by children, will plant a tree in the Parc du Cinquantenaire. The full programme is online and the discussions can be followed online with the hashtag #EUforest. Following his opening speech, Commissioner Hogan will hold a press point at 10h30 tomorrow in the Charlemagne building.