OPTimising FORest management decisions for a low-carbon, climate resilient future in EUrope

Significant reductions in anthropogenic CO2 emissions and increases in CO2 sinks are needed to meet the 1.5?C threshold for global warming set out in the Paris Agreement and reach the climate-neutrality goal of the European Green Deal by 2050. The CO2 sink provided by forests partially offsets the rise in anthropogenic CO2 emissions, providing a large-scale buffer to climate change. Depending on their characteristics and local circumstances, forests may range from net CO2 sinks to sources. The project ?OPTimising FORest management decisions for a low-carbon, climate resilient future in Europe? (OptFor-EU) will build a Decision Support System (DSS) to provide forest stakeholders and citizens with tailored options for optimising decarbonisation and other Forest Ecosystem Services (FES) across Europe. Based on exploitation of existing data sources, use of novel Essential Forest Decarbonisation Variables and relationships between climate drivers, forest responses and ecosystem services, OptFor-EU has five specific objectives: (1) Provide an improved characterisation of the forest-climate nexus and FES; (2) Utilise end-user focussed process modelling; (3) Empower forest end-users to make informed decisions to enhance forest resilience and decarbonisation; (4) Provide a novel DSS service; and (5) Achieve measurable gains towards the European Green Deal objectives. Based on a supply-demand approach, the methodology combines an iterative process of data consolidation, modelling, and co-development of solutions alongside stakeholders. The DSS will be designed and tested at 8 case study areas, to provide a ready-to-use service, near to operational (TRL7) and up scaled to European level, while a user adoption plan will maximise the societal and business impact. OptFor-EU will be implemented through 7 interconnected Work Packages, by a consortium of 16 partners from 9 European countries holding excellent interdisciplinary expertise, and a very good gender balance.