The International Day of Forests, marked annually on the 21 of March, reminds us of the fragility of our natural ecosystems.
Forests are crucial in mitigating climate change and achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring a sustainable future for life on Earth. However, these ecosystems face significant threats from global changes, including the rising frequency and intensity of extreme climate events, increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, and higher concentrations of pollutants.
These factors significantly impact forests’ ability to sustain the vital ecosystem services we depend on, such as climate regulation and mitigation, biodiversity conservation, clean air and water, food and energy production, and the enhancement of human health and well-being, especially in urban environments.
One of the consequences of the human-induced perturbation of the climate system is the increase in frequency, intensity, and spatial extent of extreme climate events. Moreover, human activities have drastically changed the atmosphere’s chemistry over the past century, causing a significant rise in CO₂ levels and changes in reactive nitrogen and sulphur compounds. Nearly half of the CO₂ released from burning fossil fuels stays in the atmosphere, driving global warming. Atmospheric nitrogen (N) and sulphur (S) deposition refers to the transfer of nitrogen and sulphur compounds from the air to forests, which can lead to soil acidification, nutrient imbalances, and harm to tree health and biodiversity.
Over the past few decades, various research groups involved in forest monitoring and experimental simulation of global changes have conducted extensive studies on the impact of droughts and atmospheric deposition on forests. However, they have mostly operated independently, examining global change drivers separately with minimal collaboration to integrate knowledge and expertise.
Key data on our forests
- Forests cover about 31% of the Earth's land area – That’s approximately 4.06 billion hectares, but this area is decreasing due to deforestation.
- Forests act as major carbon sinks – They absorb about 2.6 billion tons of CO₂ annually, helping to regulate the global climate.
- Forests are home to 80% of terrestrial species. They provide critical habitats for countless plants, animals, and microorganisms.
- Over 1.6 billion people depend on forests. Many communities rely on forests for food, medicine, shelter, and livelihood.
- Deforestation is a leading cause of biodiversity loss. Every year, around 10 million hectares of forest are lost due to agriculture, logging, and urban expansion.
Introducing CLEANFOREST COST Action
A network of European scientists and forest experts decided to develop a comprehensive understanding of the effects of key global change drivers on forest ecosystems. The Joint effects of Climate Extremes and Atmospheric deposition on European Forests COST Action, or as the acronym suggests, CLEANFOREST, will synthesise knowledge on forest resilience and response to climate extreme events and atmospheric nitrogen and sulfur deposition. Since its launch in October 2022, the network has gathered over 401 participants from 38 COST Member countries.
Several research initiatives in Europe monitor forest responses to global change drivers or simulate future changes to study impacts on forests, generating a tremendous amount of data. The information available, however, is uneven, uncoordinated, and scattered among different research communities, with little coordination among them. CLEANFOREST is promoting synergies among scientific communities working on the effects of individual drivers on forest health and functioning, tree mortality, and soil biogeochemical processes. This will be important not only to foster scientific advances but also to support different European Union strategies directly or indirectly linked to forests. Though managing such a large network is quite challenging, I am very proud of the inclusive community we have built so far (in terms of gender, career stage, geographic distribution as well as expertise), the support from core groups, and the enthusiastic participation of many of our participants, in particular young researchers! Dr Rossella Maria Rosa Guerrieri, Chair of CLEANFOREST
CLEANFOREST involves scientists engaged in monitoring and manipulation experiments across Europe and beyond. Its goal is to develop a comprehensive understanding of how key global change drivers interact to impact forest ecosystem function and health, and their role in mitigating climate change and air pollution. In addition, the network aims to establish standardised protocols and methods for measurements and promote data sharing as essential steps to support data-driven policy and societal solutions.
Collaboration is key
Through this multidisciplinary pan-European network, CLEANFOREST will reduce the communication gap between data producers (scientists) and the stakeholders (data users). Although recent European policies address the urgent need to reduce CO₂ emissions, they primarily target a single aspect of global change. This narrow focus overlooks the complexity of the issue and its broader implications for forest health, productivity, and greenhouse gas emissions.
In November 2023, the European Commission introduced a draft proposal on the Forest Monitoring Framework to create a comprehensive system for tracking the status and trends of forests across the EU. This framework focuses on key indicators, including climate change, biodiversity, forest health, invasive alien species, and management practices. The framework aims to facilitate the collection and sharing of accurate, timely, and comparable forest data by leveraging existing national systems. It also encourages Member States to develop integrated long-term forest plans or enhance their current strategies.
With this in mind, CLEANFOREST will create accessible and user-friendly datasets for stakeholders, transforming key scientific findings into practical solutions that inform policy and address societal challenges within the European Green Deal, the UN SDGs, and national strategies. Additionally, this exchange will offer scientists valuable insights into future research directions, guiding the next generation of experiments and monitoring networks to address data and knowledge gaps identified by stakeholders and relevant research communities.
Investing in young researchers
Young Researchers constitute a substantial group in CLEANFOREST, representing nearly 50% of the network. Through webinars and interviews, younger researchers can engage informally with experienced researchers to discuss their professional journeys, career development, research visits, experimental ideas, and project proposal writing. These conversations aim to inspire young researchers to pursue science and support their growth as the next generation of innovators.
“Being involved in CLEANFOREST, which has given young researchers (YRs) greater visibility and opportunities to interact with more experienced colleagues, makes me realize the importance of bridging the generational gap in science. Together with a few dedicated YRs, we strive to encourage early-career researchers to share their work, ask questions, develop various skills, and exchange knowledge across different platforms. I am pleased to see many success stories of how CLEANFOREST has helped, for example, Short-Term Scientific Mission (STSM) grantees expand their research experience, initiate fruitful collaborations, and engage in international cooperation. Overall, it is incredibly fulfilling to witness how many YRs have benefited from this COST Action already, and being part of this process makes me extremely proud.” explains Klaudia Ziemblinska, Young Researcher Coordinator for CLEANFOREST.
Watch the videos:
Additional Information
View the Action webpage
View the network website
Follow CLEANFOREST on social media: Facebook; Mastodon; Instagram; X
*Key Fact sources: International Day of Forests and FAO