Global changes and their impacts are hard to predict, even more so for complex ecosystems, as are forests. Forest ecosystems exist of densely interconnected, long-living species. They react throughout their lifetime to the manifold of changes, conditions and disturbances of their environment.
For now, it is impossible to predict the future conditions, let alone the impacts on forests. Scenario analysis, however, provides a guideline for policymakers in decision making. By comparing different scenarios to the business as usual scenario, we can have an idea of what actions can help forests to adapt to global changes, and which actions do not. The FAO and UNECE publish a scenario analysis presenting a lookout up to 2040.
Discover here what the different scenarios could lead to in 18 years from now: SP-51-2021-11_0.pdf (unece.org)