If managed sustainably, forests play an indispensable role in climate and biodiversity protection. They protect soils and water resources, provide livelihoods, and contribute to the wellbeing of rural and urban communities. European forests are multifunctional, providing a range of ecosystem services, including the production of renewable materials that are able to substitute for alternatives with a higher environmental footprint, thus also contributing to climate neutrality and overall sustainability. Since the 1990s, FOREST EUROPE has been providing an intergovernmental platform for promoting sustainable management of forests in the panEuropean region, and, in cooperation with numerous partners, has been monitoring its implementation using an internationally agreed upon set of criteria and indicators. The area of forests in Europe has increased by 9% over the last 30 years. At 227 million ha of forests, morethan one-third of Europe’s land surface is forested. The volume of wood and the weight of carbon stored in the biomass of European forests have grown by 50% over the last 30 years as forest area expanded and only a part of the increment has been harvested. About three-quarters of the net annual wood increment is felled.