To analyse its forest-based policy pathways and Climate and Biodiversity-Smart (CBS) forest management and wood use options, ForestPaths develops a novel integrated assessment framework, consisting of quantitative simulation models, as well as other tools and approaches. The assessment framework accounts for the complex interactions between ecosystem function, structure, society and land-use and management choices, as well as climate change-related risks and human behaviour. Our models note (part of the ForestPathsFeatures series) explains how models can help achieve climate and biodiversity targets in the forest and forest-based sectors.
For improved forest biomass and soil carbon pool estimations, EFISCEN-space and LPJ-GUESS will be enhanced to capture updated European forest composition and structure information, to include disturbance impacts and to better address diverse forest management practices.
CRAFTY will provide insight into land users' management decisions and how these decisions are affected by policy and other socio-economic factors. It will consider how policy institutions monitor changes in the environment and ensure that they are in line with policy objectives.
The GLOBIO model will quantify impacts on biodiversity, using biodiversity intactness metrics such as mean species abundance and local species richness, as well as ecosystem services.
LandSyMM and IMAGE will assess forest carbon pools and their links with European and global economic systems. PLUM will consider key policy objectives. Wood demands will be projected by EFI-GTM. RCA-GUESS and LandSyMM will make high-resolution assessments of European biophysical and socio-economic impacts.