The Committee on Mediterranean Forestry Questions, Silva Mediterranea, organized three significant events in 2022.  

As part of the project “The Paris Agreement in Action: Upscaling Forest and Landscape Restoration to Achieve Nationally Determined Contributions”, funded by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUV), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the groupement d’intérêt public ECOFOR, organized a regional training course in Montpellier, France, on 16–20 May 2022 to build the capacity of Mediterranean countries for restoring their degraded forest landscapes.  

The restoration of degraded and deforested lands can significantly increase soil carbon levels and rehabilitate vegetation. These carbon gains can generate tangible economic benefits and improved livelihoods for communities, thus making forest and landscape restoration (FLR) attractive to local populations. Several countries have calculated their national carbon sequestration potential through FLR. These national assessments include an estimate of the amount of carbon that could be captured by restoring degraded and deforested lands. The workshop covered topics such as the carbon costs and benefits of FLR, and the contribution of FLR to nationally determined contributions (NDCs). 

In the context of the Society for Ecological Restoration Europe (SERE) Conference held in Alicante, Spain, on 5–9 September 2022 on the theme of “Restoring Nature, Reconnecting People”, Silva Mediterranea organized a workshop entitled “Flagship Programme in the Mediterranean Region – United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration”. The workshop participants discussed the World Restoration Flagship proposal under the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration in the Mediterranean region. Four speakers from countries that have endorsed the proposal – Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Türkiye – were invited to present significant restoration examples in their respective countries. Lebanon presented several case studies on post-fire restoration. In Lebanon, wildfires are one of the major causes of land degradation in both forest and agricultural landscapes. Morocco showed how restoration interventions taking place in complex socioeconomic and cultural contexts with little social acceptance and support, should aim to establish a participatory approach to sustainable forest management. Tunisia stressed how the comanagement and preservation of forest landscapes could help identify appropriate climate change adaptation and mitigation measures. Türkiye presented several examples where good practices were implemented as part of restoration and rehabilitation activities, with a focus on carbon benefits. Türkiye has also adopted several laws to increase forest and tree cover, as well as protect environmental values. 

At the Twenty-Sixth Session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO), which took place on 3–7 October 2022 in Rome, Italy, the chair of Silva Mediterranea presented the discussions and outcomes of the Twenty-Fourth Session of Silva Mediterranea, which was held on 21–25 March 2022 in Antalya, Türkiye. The main points highlighted were the need to assess the implementation status of restoration activities under the Agadir Commitment and the need for a monitoring system on post-Agadir efforts. The chair also presented the work done by Silva Mediterranea on the proposal to nominate a Mediterranean flagship called “Restoration of degraded forest ecosystems as nature-based solutions to build resilience in the Mediterranean region”, in response to the call for World Restoration Flagships on behalf of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. Furthermore, the chair briefly highlighted the Antalya Declaration, which was adopted at the last session. Its main points were emphasized, including: (i) restoration activities as a tool for creating jobs and helping Mediterranean people reconnect with their landscapes; (ii) the importance of youth empowerment and engagement in building climate resilience in the Mediterranean region; and, (iii) the call for countries and stakeholders to scale up restoration efforts and reinforce regional cooperation in addressing common environmental and climate challenges. 

Giovanbattista De Dato