Marc Palahi Head of EFIMED. Enhancing FOrest RESearch in the MediTERRAnean through improved coordination and integration FORESTERRA

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1 Marc Palahi Head of EFIMED Enhancing FOrest RESearch in the MediTERRAnean through improved coordination and integration FORESTERRA

2 The Mediterranean basin A long history... (After Hecateus, VI b. J.C.) a unique and complex mosaic of diverse ecosystems, cultures and socio-economic realities...

3 60% of water-poor countries 2000 SOURCE: Plan Bleu, 2003 Water exploitation index

4 More than half of the region affected by the desertification

5 Rapid population growth Population on southern rim has almost doubled over the last 30 years

6 Mediterranean region: 4ºC more and % less precipitation in summer months IPCC, 4th Assessment report, 2007

7 Mediterranean forests: the most important ecological infrastructure of the region High biological diversity, 25,000 species of vascular plants Impacts on the most strategic resources: water and soil High relative importance of non-wood products and nonmarket services Their sustainability is threaten by climate and land use changes

8 Advancing and sharing science: key issue Fragmented, limited means & outdated forest research community Coordination and International cooperation: efficient mobilization Research partnerships, networking, capacity building, and knowledge transfer

9 A Mediterranean Forest Research Agenda -MFRA Already being implemented: EFIMED activities EU research funded projects Master programme.. Is this enough?

10 an ERANET scheme? EU Research Framework Programme The objective of the ERA-NET scheme is to step up the cooperation and coordination of research activities carried out at national level through: networking of research activities mutual opening of national research programmes Improving the coherence and coordination across Europe and enable to take on tasks collectively that would not have been able to tackle independently

11 FORESTERRA Reinforcing the scientific coordination and integration of forest research among Mediterranean countries and with other Mediterranean Climate Areas

12 FORESTERRA: A four step approach 1. Information exchange and mapping 2. Strategic orientation to avoid overlapping, coordinate and mobilize research capacities and address novel issues 3. Joint activities to consolidate and harmonise partnerships 4. Calls for joint research proposals 5. Scientific cooperation with Mediterranean Climate Areas

13 Participant Number Participant Organisation name Country 1 Ministry of Science and Innovation (ES) 2 CIHEAM INT 3 Ministry of Agriculture (FR) 4 Ministero delle Politiche Agricole Alimentari e Forestali (IT) 5 Ministry of Environment and Forestry, SAFRI (TR) 6 EFIMED INT 7 Research Council for Agriculture- CRA (IT) 8 Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique-INRA (FR) 9 Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (PT) 10 Institution of Agricultural Research and Higher Education (TN) 11 Haut Commissariat aux Eaux et Forêts et à la Lutte Contre la Désertification (MA) 12 Ministry of Agriculture and Food (BG) 13 Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food (SL) 14 Ministry of Science, Education and Sports (HR) 15 Ministry of environment, energy and climate change (GR) 16 Institut National de Recherche Forestière (DZ)

14 Expected impacts Better coordination and integration of forest research programmes in the MED - strategic planning, Joint research calls, etc In-depth and durable cooperation and integration among Mediterranean forest research organizations; - promoting the mutual opening of facilities, sharing experiments and data, mobility of scientists, joint units, Advancing and sharing science in key topics: Ecosystem functioning, non-wood Products and non-market services, PES, adapting forests and forestry,... Contribution to the ERA by structuring a Mediterranean Forest Research Area Establishing durable trans-continental scientific partnerships

15 Thank you for your attention!