While we often think about how trees have a positive net impact on the environment and reduce air pollution, we don’t often think about how trees are negatively impacted by humans and the pollution we produce.
Evaluating this damage and developing strategies to protect trees was the aim of the 32nd Task Force Meeting of ICP Forests, which was held in Luxembourg City from May 12-13, 2016. The ICP is the International Co-operative Programme on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests, launched in 1985 with support from the UN. There are currently 41 member countries participating in the programme which involves taking samples from hundreds of thousands of trees. This edition of the task force meeting focused on intensifying coordination of national monitoring activities, broadening the scope of monitoring, and developing a strategy for long-term financing.
