The "Assessment of Climate Risks and Adaptation Options for Carpathian Forest Ecosystems and Their Services" is Now Published
Vienna, Austria – The Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention, hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is pleased to announce the publication of the Assessment of Climate Risks and Adaptation Options for Carpathian Forest Ecosystems and their Services. This milestone report provides an in-depth analysis of climate-related vulnerabilities affecting one of Europe’s most ecologically significant mountain ranges and outlines practical strategies to strengthen forest resilience.
The Carpathian Convention, established in 2003, unites seven countries—Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine—in a shared commitment to protect the Carpathians. These forests represent a vital resource, hosting Europe’s largest concentration of primary and old-growth forests, supporting biodiversity, rural livelihoods, and cultural heritage.
Recognizing the growing threat of climate change, the Convention’s sixth Conference of the Parties (COP6) in 2020 called for an assessment of climate impacts on Carpathian forests and their ecosystem services. This initiative was integrated into the Convention’s mechanisms, including the Implementation Framework 2030 and the work plan of the Working Group on Sustainable Forest Management, fostering collaboration with the Working Group on Climate Change.
The assessment was developed through extensive consultation with nominated experts from Carpathian countries and led by Dr. William Keeton (University of Vermont, Science for the Carpathians) in partnership with the Secretariat. The final assessment and its accompanying recommendations were then welcomed by the seventh Conference of the Parties (COP7) in Belgrade, Serbia in 2023.
KEY FINDINGS AND MESSAGES
Carpathian forests are a vital resource, harbouring exceptional biodiversity, supporting local economies, and providing essential ecosystem services. However, they face increasing vulnerability to climate change, compounded by historical management practices.
Experts identified six priority risks threatening Carpathian forests:
Altered disturbance regimes
Altered hydrologic regimes and flood risks
Invasive species
Changes in forest growth and productivity
Altered species composition and distribution
Feedback mechanisms affecting ecosystem services, including carbon storage
To address these challenges, the Assessment proposes practical adaptation options:
- Adaptive silviculture
- Afforestation and reforestation
- Carbon forestry
- Rewilding and core area protection
- Increase resilience to disturbance
- Assisted dispersal and migration
- Management practices to maintain/improve the ability of forests to resist pests and pathogens
- Close-to-nature silviculture and ecosystem-based management
- Integrating forest-water interactions into adaptive forest management
It emphasizes cross-boundary collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and integration of local knowledge, alongside improved research and long-term monitoring to inform evidence-based strategies for building forest resilience.
The Assessment urges Parties, forest managers, policymakers, and researchers to integrate its recommendations into planning and practice. The Secretariat invites stakeholders to share this resource widely to support its implementation and advance sustainable forest management in the Carpathians.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
About the Carpathians
The Carpathian Mountains provide essential ecosystem services to millions of people who reside in the area and beyond, contributing to the health of diverse landscapes. In addition to being the home to the headwaters of major rivers, the region is a biodiversity hotspot in Europe. It is home to nearly 4,000 plant species and harbours some of Europe’s last remaining virgin forests and the largest populations of large carnivores: lynxes, brown bears and wolves.
About the Carpathian Convention
The Carpathian Convention, a multinational environmental agreement, unites the seven Carpathian countries—Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine—in a unique partnership to protect the natural and cultural heritage of the Carpathian region while promoting sustainable development. The Convention provides an open forum for discussion between various stakeholders; a framework for transnational cooperation across sectors; and a platform for developing and implementing transnational strategies, programmes, and projects for the protection and sustainable development of the Carpathian region. The Secretariat of the Carpathian Convention is hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
About the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.
