Securing the forest carbon sink for the European Union’s climate ambition

Mirco Migliavacca (), Giacomo Grassi, Ana Bastos, Guido Ceccherini, Philippe Ciais, Greet Janssens-Maenhout, Emanuele Lugato, Miguel D. Mahecha, Kimberly A. Novick, Josep Peñuelas, Roberto Pilli, Markus Reichstein, Valerio Avitabile, Pieter S. A. Beck, José I. Barredo, Giovanni Forzieri, Martin Herold, Anu Korosuo, Nicolas Mansuy, Sarah Mubareka, Rene Orth, Paul Rougieux and Alessandro Cescatti
Additional contact information
Mirco Migliavacca: Joint Research Centre
Giacomo Grassi: Joint Research Centre
Ana Bastos: Leipzig University
Guido Ceccherini: JRC
Philippe Ciais: Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement CEA-CNRS-UVSQ
Greet Janssens-Maenhout: Joint Research Centre
Emanuele Lugato: Joint Research Centre
Miguel D. Mahecha: Leipzig University
Kimberly A. Novick: Indiana University - Bloomington
Josep Peñuelas: Cerdanyola del Vallès
Roberto Pilli: Independent consultant
Markus Reichstein: Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry
Valerio Avitabile: JRC
Pieter S. A. Beck: Joint Research Centre
José I. Barredo: Joint Research Centre
Giovanni Forzieri: University of Florence
Martin Herold: GFZ German GeoResearch Center
Anu Korosuo: Joint Research Centre
Nicolas Mansuy: Joint Research Centre
Sarah Mubareka: Joint Research Centre
Rene Orth: University of Freiburg
Paul Rougieux: JRC
Alessandro Cescatti: Joint Research Centre

Nature, 2025, vol. 643, issue 8074, 1203-1213

Abstract: Abstract The European Union (EU) climate policies rely on a functioning forest carbon sink. Forests cover about 40% of the EU area and have absorbed about 436 Mt of carbon dioxide equivalent per year between 1990 and 2022, which is about 10% of the EU’s anthropogenic emissions. However, the ability of forests to act as carbon sinks is rapidly declining owing to increasing natural and anthropogenic pressures, threatening the EU’s climate goals and calling for prompt actions. Here we provide actionable research recommendations to improve the monitoring and modelling of forest resources and their carbon sink, and to better inform forest management decisions. We suggest a timeline for the development of these measures to better support the implementation of strategies and policies outlined in the European Green Deal.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08967-3

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