By SDG Watch Europe
This morning, we participated in an event organized by the European Movement Ireland and European Commission Representation in Ireland.
The event was very illustrative, as it focused on the goals and benefits of the New EU Forest Strategy, also acknowledging the issues and shortcomings of the Strategy.
About the EU Forest Strategy:
- It aims at improving the quality and quantity of EU forests.
- It aims at strengthening forest protection, restoration and resilience
- It recognizes the value that forests have on society, economy and environment
- It values the need for greater reforestation, and the benefits that it would bring
We also learned some interesting facts:
Irish forests absorb 10% of all of EU’s Co2 emissions 
Using forests as carbon sinks requires substantial investments and effortsForests in Ireland provide 12.000 jobs, achieved on the base of planting productive forest
The event also called upon some of the current issue related to the Strategy:
EU forest observation is not linked to binding indicators Absence of an EU forest lawForestry remains in the remit of Member States to do as they wish