Quantifying forest change in the European Union

Using remote-sensing data on forest cover change in the European Union (EU), Ceccherini et al.1 report an abrupt increase in harvested biomass (69%) and in harvested forest area (43%) on the basis of a comparison between two periods, 2010-2015 and 2016-2018, in a single decade. According to Ceccherini et al.1, the selected period 2016-2018 also saw a 210% increase in the number of forest fires and a 90% increase in major windstorms compared to the control period-effects that must be factored out to support the conclusions. In summary, we suggest that there are inconsistencies in the proposal by Ceccherini et al.1 that sustained increases in the harvested area of EU forests lead to net atmospheric carbon emissions from these forests. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03293-w Received: 24 August 2020 Accepted: 26 January 2021 Published online: 28 April 2021 Check for updates Author contributions This Comment was initiated by I.K.W. and P.E.K. P.C., J.F., P.H., K.T.K. and A.N. all contributed to the writing and editing of the Comment.