In a joint letter to the European decision-makers, the Nordic, Baltic and Austrian forest industries call for a realistic and enabling climate target for the land‑use sector that supports Europe’s climate ambitions while strengthening competitiveness and the bioeconomy.
“Phasing out fossil emissions is a key tool at the core of EU climate policy. To this end, Europe needs a resilient bioeconomy that also strengthens competitiveness by making full use of renewable, fossil-free raw materials from forests” says Viveka Beckeman, Director General of the Swedish Forest Industries Federation.
EU fossil emissions are currently approximately 15 times higher than the carbon sink within the EU area. Further action is needed to reduce fossil emissions, and forest industry products can help in this. Renewable forest-based materials help replace carbon fossil-intensive alternatives in construction, packaging, energy and other sectors, supporting Europe’s transition towards a circular and climate-neutral economy. The organisations propose that future EU climate policy should introduce indicative targets for the land-use sector (LULUCF), based on Member States’ own assessments of national circumstances and future projections. Such an approach would provide flexibility for active forest management and long-term investments while avoiding obligations and targets whose feasibility and effectiveness remain uncertain and whose achievement depends on the inherently variable and unpredictable nature of natural processes and climate-related developments beyond direct human control.
“A realistic and flexible framework for the land‑use sector would allow Europe to deliver climate benefits while strengthening the bioeconomy and industrial competitiveness. That combination is essential for Europe’s long-term resilience and prosperity,” says Paula Lehtomäki, CEO of the Finnish Forest Industries Federation.
The organisations also stress that voluntary instruments such as the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) must remain voluntary and not become binding obligations under the EU climate framework.
Predictable, practical and science-based rules are essential for businesses, forest owners and investors making long-term decisions. A climate framework grounded in the realities of the land‑use sector can help accelerate the transition away from fossil emissions and enable a stronger, more competitive European bioeconomy.
