Policy & Advocacy

At Life Terra, our work on the ground has shown that large-scale, citizen-driven ecosystem restoration is not only possible, but essential to addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and community resilience. Through our experience across Europe and our dialogue with policymakers at local, national and EU level, we have gained practical insights that inform our policy recommendations and future partnerships.

We advocate for effective, inclusive and locally adapted approaches to nature restoration. This means promoting diverse and climate-resilient forests, supporting small forest owners and land managers, reducing administrative barriers to restoration, and creating stronger financial incentives for ecosystem services and nature-based solutions.

We also believe that education and citizen engagement are fundamental to long-term climate action. Strengthening teachers' green and digital competences, expanding outdoor learning, improving access to quality educational resources, and involving young people in practical climate action can help build the skills and awareness needed for a resilient future.

Our experience has highlighted several principles that should guide European restoration efforts:

  • Local engagement increases impact and long-term success. Communities should be active participants in restoration.

  • Restoration must be site-specific. Regional needs, land use, species suitability, land tenure and climate conditions should shape interventions.

  • Monitoring builds trust. Transparent data and digital tools strengthen accountability and long-term stewardship.

  • Education multiplies impact. Schools and young people can help create the next generation of climate and nature leaders.

  • Cross-sector collaboration accelerates action. EU institutions, Member States, local authorities, businesses, civil society and landowners all have a role to play.

Policy events & actions taken

During the course of the LIFE programme, Life Terra, in collaboration with EURACTIV, organised many EU policy events on topics related to climate, biodiversity, ecosystem restoration and carbon removal involving key policymakers. After the LIFE period, we remain committed to continuing to support Europe's climate and biodiversity objectives.

Find here our most relevant events and actions taken:

  • Scaling Nature Restoration & Community Participation 

    • Location: Brussels

    • Date: 19/06/2025

    • Panellists:

      • One Tree Planted, Growing Trees Network, Meer Bomen Nu, Naudet, and our guest Marco Onida

      • ClimatePartner, Caely Renewables, Waterland, Land Life Company, and guest speaker Christian Holzleitner

      • Ecoescuelas, Stepping Stone Forests, and Plantăm fapte bune în România for their insights during the roundtable discussions

  • Navigating the ESG legislation - What implications for carbon removal projects in
    Europe?

    • Location: online

    • Date:24-09-2024

    • Panellists:

      • Inès Rohmer, Policy Officer, Corporate Reporting, Audit & Credit Rating Agencies, DG FISMA, European Commission

      • Rasmus Andresen MEP, Member, ECON Committee, European Parliament

      • Mathilde Crêpy, Head of environmental transparency, ECOS

      • Robin Stoffers, Managing Director, ClimatePartner Impact GmbH

      • Marika Luiati, Europe Forest Manager, OneTreePlanted

      • Marcos López Ercilla, Project Manager & Carbon Removals Coordinator, Life Terra Foundation

  • A roadmap to EU Forest Resilience

    • Location: online

    • Date: 08-05-2024

    • Panellists:

      • Elena Višnar Malinovská, Head of Unit, Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change, DG CLIMA, European Commission

      • Florian Marin, Member Workers' Group, European Economic and Social Committee

      • Sydney Vennin, European Forest Campaigner, Fern

      • Marcus Lindner, Principal Natural Scientist, European Forest Institute

      • Santi Sabaté, Director of Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences (BEECA), Researcher CREAF-UB and Professor UB, Ecology Section, Universitat de Barcelona

      • Roberto Stelstra, Policy officer, EUSTAFOR

  • The future of EU forests – A new EU Framework for Forest Monitoring and Strategic Plans

    • Location: online

    • Date: 20/02/2024

    • Panellists:

      • Ion Codescu, Head of Unit, Land Use & Management, DG ENV, European Commission

      • Tim Lemmens Earth Observation Policy Officer, Copernicus Programme, DG DEFIS, European Commission

      • Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg MEP, Member, TRAN Committee, European Parliament

      • Ned Dwyer Chief Scientist, Cybele Lawgical LDA

      • Julia Bognar, Head of Programme, Institute for European Environmental Policy

      • Juha Niemelä, President, European State Forest Association (Eustafor)

  • Restoring the earth’s lungs - how can forests support climate change mitigation?

    • Location: online

    • Date: 08/02/2023

    • Panellists:

      • Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director, Biodiversity, DG ENV, European Commission

      • Anna Deparnay-Grunenberg MEP, Substitute ENVI Committee, European Parliament

      • Stoyan Tchoukanov, President of the Beef Breeders Association of Bulgaria, Civil Society Organisations' Group (Group III) EESC

      • Kelsey Perlman, Forest and Climate Campaigner, FERN

      • Marta Múgica, Professional planting coordinator, Life Terra

  • Potential and challenges of the current forest strategy of Germany

    • Location: online

    • Date: 14/06/2022

    • Panellists:

      • Ulrike Müller, Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, European Parliament

      • Stefanie Schmidt, Forestry Officer, DG ENV, European Commission

      • Tessa Ganserer, Committee on the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, German Bundestag

      • Dr. Nicole Wellbrock, Head of the Soil Protection and Forest Condition Unit, Institute for Forest Ecosystems, Thünen Institute

      • Madeleine von Borcke, Business Development Consultant Germany, Life Terra Foundation

  • Forest restoration and tree planting. What impact for climate change mitigation?

    • Location: Brussels/Virtually

    • Date: 07/09/2021

    • Panellists:

      • Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director Natural Capital, DG Environment at the EC

      • Ozlem Yildirim, Confederal Adviser to the General Confederation of Labour at the EESC

      • Jytte Guteland MEP, Member ENVI Committee at the EP

      • Ville Niinisto MEP, Member ENVI and ITRE Committees at the EP

      • Sergiy Moroz, Policy Manager on Water and Biodiversity at the European Environmental Bureau

      • Hélène Koch, Policy Advisor at the Confederation of European Forest Owners

      • Sven Kallen, Founder & Secretary, Life Terra Foundation

Interviewing policymakers

Interview Angelo Salsi - Former Head of LIFE Unit (EASME)

David Sassoli - Former President of the European Parliament

Humberto Delgado - Former Dir. for Natural Capital (DG Environment) at the European Commission

Diederik Samsom - Former Head of Cabinet European Green Deal & Commissioner for CAP