Overview of The Eighth Mediterranean Forest Week (8MFW)

The Eighth Mediterranean Forest Week (8MFW), convened under the theme “Working together for sustainable and resilient Mediterranean forests – Towards a collaborative road map,” represented a new chapter in the long history of Mediterranean forests. 

The first edition of the Mediterranean Forest Weeks (MFWs), in 2010, laid the foundation for the subsequent MFWs by fostering connections among Mediterranean stakeholders. The following editions, held in 2011, 2013 and 2015, raised awareness of the critical importance of forest conservation in the Mediterranean region and the critical role of Mediterranean forests and a forest-based economy for sustainable development. 

A particularly significant milestone was the 2017 edition in Agadir, Morocco. It established the Agadir Commitment to restore 8 million hectares of Mediterranean landscapes by 2030 and underscored the importance of integrated restoration efforts. This vision continues to guide us today. 

In 2019, the 6MFW, in Brummana, Lebanon, highlighted the role of forests in climate action and featured the Brummana Declaration, which combined the Agadir Commitment with nationally determined contributions (NDCs). It emphasized empowering young professionals and integrating forest-based solutions into national climate strategies. 

The next MFW was held in 2022 in Antalya, Türkiye, at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, which did not stop the Mediterranean forest community from coming together, with all due precautions. The participants called for increased restoration efforts and regional collaboration to address environmental and climate challenges. This edition also included the first youth dialogue to take place in the region. During this 7MFW, participants endorsed the World Restoration Flagship “Restoring Mediterranean Forests”, which is linked to the Agadir Commitment on forests and supported by Silva Mediterranea. It represents a significant endeavour to address the degradation of the forest ecosystems of one of the planet’s most crucial biodiversity hotspots, demonstrating the unwavering commitment of several organizations and nations to the cause of forest and landscape restoration. 

However, Mediterranean forests are under increasing pressure from human activities as the region is heavily affected by conflicts and climate change, reflected in unprecedented levels of forest fires, biodiversity loss and land degradation. 

The previously mentioned commitments are aligned with other regional pledges and engagements, such as: 

• the Agadir Declaration; 
• the Barcelona Convention and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Mediterranean Action Plan;  
• the Athens Declaration and the Antalya Ministerial Declaration; 
• the Second Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Ministerial Declaration on Environment and Climate Action; and 
• the Mediterranean Forest Research Agenda. 

Such pledges collectively demonstrate the region’s strong commitment to safeguarding the Mediterranean environment while promoting sustainable development in the region. They recognize the interconnectedness of environmental, social and economic issues and the need for collaborative action to address the Mediterranean’s challenges.  

They also demonstrate that Mediterranean countries strive to enhance the protection and restoration of Mediterranean ecosystems and forests by implementing a holistic, intersectoral and science-based approach. 

The urgency of collaborative action is evident. We have the knowledge, the tools and the motivation to reverse these trends and ensure a successful future for Mediterranean forest ecosystems and communities, leaving no one behind. And the 8MFW was evidence of this shared commitment. 

The 8MFW served as a platform to propose actionable recommendations, featuring a strategic road map to enhance and enlarge collaboration together with a visionary statement for the future of Mediterranean forests. 

Discussions during the 8MFW emphasized the need to consolidate this collaborative approach and develop it into the proposed Mediterranean Forest Initiative (MFI), which will be prepared over the coming months, as a promise to future generations. 

As representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Mediterranean Facility of the European Forest Institute (EFIMED), we extend our gratitude to the municipality of Barcelona, the Silva Mediterranea secretariat and its members, all the organizations that contributed to making this event happen, the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge and the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Higher Education, and the members of the Joint Organizing Committee, including the UfM, the Mediterranean Model Forest Network (MMFN), the International Union for Conservation of Nature Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation (IUCN-Med), the International Association of Mediterranean Forests (AIFM), the Forest Science and Technology Centre of Catalonia (CTCF), the Cesefor Foundation, the CREAF research centre, UNEP, the Mediterranean Youth Taskforce, the General Directorate of Forestry of Türkiye (OGM) and the Ministry of Agriculture of Lebanon.  

Christophe Besacier (FAO) and Michele Bozzano (EFIMED)