The European Commission has proposed a new law on forest monitoring aimed at creating a comprehensive knowledge base about forests, addressing information gaps, and enabling a better response to the increasing pressures on forests.

Natural hazards and unsustainable human activity have severely impacted European forests, which are crucial for combating climate change, protecting biodiversity, and supporting rural areas and the economy.

The new monitoring system would allow the collection and sharing of comparable forest data obtained through Earth observation technology and ground measurements. Its objectives include:

• Contributing to increasing forest resilience to growing environmental hazards
• Strengthening forests' capacity to provide cleaner air
• Facilitating forest planning
• Ensuring cooperation between member states to establish long-term forest plans.

A recent Commission report reveals that in 2022, a record number of wildfires burned 900,000 hectares of land, roughly the size of Corsica – the second-highest recorded number.

Due to the impact of rising temperatures on certain species, it is projected that forest land values will decrease by 27% by the end of the century.

These consequences can be addressed through the Nature Restoration Law and the provision of high-quality forest data in the EU.

The forest monitoring proposal is a key outcome of the EU Forest Strategy 2030 and the European Green Deal.