Under the Swedish Chairmanship of FOREST EUROPE 2025–2026, the Work Programme highlights the importance of maintaining flexibility and preparedness to address “new and emerging issues” affecting Europe’s forests and the forest sector. In this context, the need for sustainable forests for resilient societies, as well as forest-based geopolitical preparedness in a rapidly changing security environment, has become increasingly important.

This Policy Brief raises awareness of how forests and forest-based value chains contribute to Europe’s geopolitical preparedness.

“The Signatories of Forest Europe acknowledge that forests and the forest-based sector are strategic assets required for societal resilience in Europe, particularly in times of geopolitical crises. This highlights an essential requirement for strengthening crisis preparedness, response systems and security of the supply of wood and non-wood forest products” says Alessandra Giolo, the lead author of the Policy Brief.

She continues:

“Preparedness is not reactive; it is an intergenerational responsibility. If Europe acts now, sustainably managed forests can become pillars of strategic autonomy and enable resilient societies, supporting energy stability, plant and machinery repair capacity, functioning value chains and the environmental foundations of societal continuity under geopolitical pressure.”

The Policy Brief concludes with eight recommendations for achieving sustainable forests for resilient societies and strengthening forest-based geopolitical preparedness in Europe.