Europe
Since 1953, Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations have been producing studies of the long-term outlook for supply and demand for wood and the other goods and services of the forest, as a support to policy makers and analysts, as well as civil society and private sector decision makers. The most recent, European Forest Sector Outlook Study: Main report, was published in March 2005. 2005-2007 will be devoted to follow-up at the regional and international level.
Additional information about the study and follow-up activities can be found at ECE website.
Objective of the study
The European Forest Sector Outlook Study (EFSOS), is the sixth major study in the European outlook study series. It aims to provide decision makers in the forestry sector with information and analysis about long-term trends in the sector and projections of future developments.
Scope of the study
Geographic: The study covers 38 countries, including all of the European countries and 7 of the countries from the former-USSR including the Russian Federation. Most of the results of the historical analysis are presented for the period from 1961 to 2000, and projections are presented for the period 2000 to 2020.
Products: roundwood, sawnwood, wood-based panels, pulp and paper, recovered paper and wood products, non-wood products. In addition, the report examines the trends and outlook for forest resources, forest services, forest policy and management.
Methodology and sources
For wood-based forest products, econometric projections of supply, trade and consumption were prepared, while for non-wood products and for services, qualitative estimates were presented. Special attention was paid to the inter-action of forest sector trends and developments in other sectors. Eight Discussion Papers present and discuss the data and analysis on which the main report is based. Almost all of the data presented and analysed were drawn from the ECE and FAO databases.
The study is based on the generous contribution over several years of sector experts and national correspondents, without whose help the study would have been impossible.