Policy Support

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We live in an intricate, uncertain and changing environment with complex interlinked relationships between climate, ecosystems, society and economy. Forest issues are becoming cross-sectoral and the forestry agenda is increasingly connected to highly important political issues such as climate change, trade relations, good governance and poverty reduction. In this context, research-based information and knowledge should be one of the central pillars for sound forest policy formulation, implementation and evaluation.

The policy support function aims to assist European political decision-makers, stakeholders, policy institutions and research organisations to:

  • Identify emerging policy-relevant information needs to better promote policy relevant research.
  • Improve the understanding on strategic and cross-sector forest policy issues based on existing scientific knowledge and expertise.
  • Enhance science-policy dialogue across all stages of the policy process for designing, formulating, monitoring and evaluating forest-related policies, programmes, instruments and strategies as well as governance development.
  • Facilitate policy implementation in collaboration with economic, social and environmental partners and constituents from public and corporate sectors as well as civil society.
  • Help EFI member organisations to transmit their research results to policy making and to reach policy platforms.

To achieve this, targeted partnerships, platforms and initiatives are required. Ongoing initiatives include ThinkForest - a European high-level forum on the future of forests - and work in support of the EU Forestry Strategy and FOREST EUROPE.

Since 2007, EFI has hosted the EU FLEGT Facility which supports the EU Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade (FLEGT) process in developing countries, related to the implementation of the EU FLEGT Action Plan. EFI’s EU REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) Facility was established in December 2010 to provide effective support to the development and implementation of REDD+ policies in developing countries.

More information: Marc Palahí, Deputy Director (firstname.lastname@efi.int)


Photo by Ljupco Smokovski - Fotolia