The quality of the third of European forests is getting worse
The third of European forests is in a worse condition than ten years ago. This negative development is mainly caused by the climate changes. European Wildlife conservation organisation reminded that at the occasion of a continuing United Nations Climate Change Conference 2011.
“European forests have a key significance not only for the environment but also as natural water reservoirs for European agriculture and the continent inhabitants, too. If politicians in Durban do not find an effective solution for the restriction of greenhouse gases production, a substantial part of European forests will get under even a bigger pressure than during last decade,“ stated the director of European Wildlife conservation organisation Dalibor Dostal.
The deteriorating state of European forests has been pointed out by a study carried out in FutMon project this year. The study researched a relation between the dynamics of climate changes and the reaction of forests ecosystems. According to its conclusions during the last decade about one third of European forests was damaged which significantly decreased the forests influence on a reduction of climate change impacts.
The health state of the forests is related, after scientists, to the increased appearance of summer heat and drought in central Europe in last ten years. It is one of the consequences of climate changes.
Forests cover in Europe 40 per cent of the area of European Union mainland, it means 178 million hectares. The EU forests make about 4 per cent of the whole world forest area. The most forested countries of European Union are Finland with 77 per cent, Sweden with 76 per cent and Slovenia with 63 per cent, following these there are Latvia with 56 per cent and Spain with 55 per cent. At the opposite side there is an island Malta where forest covers take less than 0.5 per cent of the ground, the Netherlands with 11 per cent and Great Britain and Ireland, which have both of 12 per cent.
2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference began in Durban in South Africa on 28th November and it finishes on 9th December. The forests protection is one of its main topics, together with the adaptation to climate impacts, and finance – the promised transfer of funds from rich countries to poor in order to help them protect forests, adapt to climate impacts, and “green” their economies.
