Why Large-Scale Tree-Planting Targets Risk Undermining EU Climate and Biodiversity Goals

DOI

Key message: While trees are essential to Europe’s climate and biodiversity strategy, massive, target-driven tree-planting programmes are a blunt and risky policy instrument. Data show they can undermine biodiversity, water security, climate mitigation integrity, and social legitimacy. The EU should prioritize ecosystem protection, natural regeneration, and people-centred restoration, rather than numerical tree-planting targets.

Identifier
DOI https://doi.org/10.57745/BBRZ1B
Metadata Access https://entrepot.recherche.data.gouv.fr/oai?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=oai_datacite&identifier=doi:10.57745/BBRZ1B
Provenance
Creator Stokes, Alexia ORCID logo
Publisher Recherche Data Gouv
Contributor Stokes, Alexia
Publication Year 2026
Funding Reference Horizon Europe 101059498
Rights etalab 2.0; info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess; https://spdx.org/licenses/etalab-2.0.html
OpenAccess true
Contact Stokes, Alexia (INRAE)
Representation
Resource Type Text; Dataset
Format application/pdf
Size 661864
Version 1.0
Discipline Geosciences