The European Commission has today published the EU’s climate targets for 2040. The Finnish Forest Industries Federation acknowledges the ambition of these targets and approaches them with a balanced perspective, recognizing both the urgency of climate action and the practical pathways to achieve it. It is crucial that climate policy maintains a strong focus on reducing fossil emissions while supporting scalable, sustainable solutions such as the forest-based bioeconomy.
The EU’s 2040 climate target sets out the direction for net greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The targets include a 90 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions compared to 1990 levels. In addition, the Commission proposes new measures to achieve the target, such as the possibility of utilising climate action in countries outside the EU.
The forest industry produces solutions that can replace fossil products, store bio-based carbon and, at the same time, meet the needs of consumers, industry and society. Renewable energy already accounts for 92 per cent of the energy produced by Finnish forest industry production facilities. The forest industry has effectively reduced its own emissions, their combined emissions are less than 2 million tonnes, and according to the industry’s climate roadmap, it is foreseeable that factories could be almost fossil-free by 2035.
In order to achieve the ambitious target, the Finnish Forest Industries Federation believes that the European Union must, on the one hand, commit to reducing fossil emissions and, on the other hand, promote clean solutions such as the forest-based bioeconomy. A sustainable, forest-based bioeconomy must be integrated into EU climate policy, industrial policy and the circular economy. Only then will the full potential of the bioeconomy be realised, for example as a substitute for fossil raw materials, a means of securing material and energy self-sufficiency, and as part of the hydrogen economy.
The challenges of our time also present opportunities: this is the moment to deploy Europe’s forest-based expertise in sustainable forest management to reduce dependence on fossil imports from third countries and to build a resilient, circular bioeconomy based on biogenic carbon. The European forest-based value chain, from short- to long-lived products, has the capacity to significantly contribute to the EU’s climate goals. Realising this potential requires an enabling EU climate policy framework that supports competitiveness through sustainably managed forests and accounts for the long-term nature of forest management. Such a framework must also acknowledge the uncertainty of climate change impacts on forests and avoid setting short-term, inflexible targets that risk undermining forest sector contributions to decarbonisation.
Climate policy on forests must be realistic and promote forest growth and health as well as the availability of raw materials for the bioeconomy. With regard to climate targets for forests, it is particularly important for the EU to take into account the high level of uncertainty surrounding forest sinks. Forests that are vulnerable to damage and fluctuating sinks are a poor basis for climate targets. On the other hand, high-quality and timely forest management is of great importance in reconciling the strengthening of carbon sinks with the availability of wood for the forest industry.
It is positive that the Commission emphasises the competitiveness of European industry alongside climate targets. It is also important that the international competitiveness of European industry continues to be strongly highlighted. Combating carbon leakage remains important, and the electrification of industry is a key means of reducing emissions. We look forward to working together with EU institutions and stakeholders to deliver concrete, sustainable solutions that help achieve Europe’s climate targets. Wishing everyone a restful and well-deserved summer break!
