Building from the experiences of crucial projects, such as Forest PES Horizon projects (Nobel, SINCERE and InnoForESt), the LIFE ProForPES project (Promoting effective forest PES through the EU financial and state aid programs) aims firstly at collecting, synthesising, and integrating the knowledge and the know-how already present at EU 27 level on PES and PES-like schemes. Secondly, the project will investigate the readiness and possibilities to integrate PES and PES-like within the EU financial program and the state aid framework through an in-depth institutional analysis of the existing gaps and potentialities present within the two frameworks. The study of the current policy and financial EU programs, flanked by a robust consultation process with the key stakeholders, will provide the knowledge needed to design appropriate policy and business recommendations regarding PES and PES-like schemes integration and potentiality. This will ultimately contribute to sustainable forest ecosystem services provision in Europe and to achieve critical targets of the EU Biodiversity Strategy.
Within the framework of the LIFE programme a “preparatory call (PREP)” was opened to address specific needs and policy priorities such as the study of payment schemes for ecosystem services (PES) of forests. The call was won by the LIFE ProForPES (Promoting effective forest PES through the EU financial and state aid programs) project, thanks to an European partnership bringing together universities and specialised companies with extensive experience in the field.
Beside Universität für Bodenkultur Wien (BOKU), the partners involved in the project are: Etifor, the University of Padova, the European Forest Institute, Hochschule Für Nachhaltige Entwicklung Ebersw Al.
The project started in January: all the partners met for the first time in Padua for the kick-off meeting, which was the right opportunity to share initial thoughts on what will be a key issue for all of us and for the whole of Europe.
you can find more about the project here: