The seminar on the bioeconomy that took place in Brussels in mid-November included many interesting conversations and topics. All member organisations of the Forest Coalition, that Future of Forestry is a part of, agree that developing the bioeconomy is an important part of the solution – for the planet as well as for jobs and growth.
Forests are a strategic resource for Europe. In the forest-based products lie a lot of the solutions to the challenges we are facing in Europe today – environmental, social, and economic. The forest coalition believes that our common responsibility is to address the challenges linked to climate change, biodiversity, and competitiveness – and that they require political will and commitment.
Fit for 55 is an ambitious EU climate policy package. The forest sector can contribute significantly more to help achieve the aims of Fit to 55. This however requires that the substitution effect is recognized and prioritized in EU policies going forward. Marcus Wallenberg, chairman of the bord of FAM, started the seminar by concluding that the forests not only are carbon sinks when growing, but that forest-based products also substitute fossil materials – which has an even greater positive effect for the climate.
One of the speakers, Maive Rute, Deputy Director General of DG Grow at the European Commission, told the panel at the seminar that the EU Commission is preparing a new bio-technology and bio-manufacturing initiative to boost the competitiveness of European industry. This initiative will hopefully be launched during the Belgian presidency in 2024.
The seminar was wrapped up by Pierre-Olivier Drège, vice-president at UCFF: “We need a common European framework for biodiversity and the climate but also freedom to act within those frameworks.”
The forest coalition has produced a position paper which reflects the coalition view on common pan-European forest interests. The position paper contains a number of policy recommendations to support the next important work of the European Commission and the European Parliament in this sector.
