Georgia: The First Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia, Nino Tandilashvili, took part in Bonn’s 9th Ministerial of Forests of Europe on October 3, 2024.
The Ministerial participants signed two critical documents: the Bonn Ministerial Declaration and Decision. By signing these documents, the participating “European Forests” parties declare their agreement to establish a sustainable forest management system at the national and international levels.
“With European Member States, we signed a declaration that aims to better management of forests and to implement sustainable forest management principles into practice,” said the First Deputy Minister of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia.
She also mentioned, “The Ministerial has been positive about the reforms implemented by Georgia in the forest sector in recent years. Together with the adoption of the Forest Code, these include a range of measures aimed at improving the protection, care, and sustainable use of Georgia’s forest resources. We talked about the ministerial and the progress we have made in integrating with Europe.”
“Reforms in the forest sector are a crucial step forward to Eurointegration. Again, we emphasize that Georgia, as a candidate country of the European Union and international partners, will continue to work actively to establish EU environmental standards, including the forest sector,” noted Nino Tandilashvili.
Important issues such as climate change, diversification of forest resources, the need for mobilization of financial resources, forest education and sector promotion, public awareness and self-awareness, close communication with the population and the process of forest activity are emphasized. It involves intensive informing of stakeholders.
“European forests” represent a high-level political process established in 1990 to ensure sustainable forest management.
Representatives of 46 of its member countries and relevant EU institutions are developing common visions and strategies for ensuring forest protection and sustainable management on their territory. Georgia became a member of “European Forests” in 2003.
Within this process, the ministerial is administered once every 4-5 years. The Federal Republic of Germany is the chairman country of this year’s ministerial, and Sweden will chair the future “European Forests” Ministry.
