ForestBiomassandEUPolicies

BIO4ECO- FinalConference,17.September2020,Webinar

17.09.2020| WWW.EFI.INT

HaraldMauser

EFILiaison OfficeBrussels

• largeexpansionofEuropeanforestresourcesduringthepast70years– uniqueatgloballevel

Unique ExpansionofForest ResourcesinEurope

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Source:adaptedfromVerkerk2015;multipledatasources

• moremixedandstructuredforests

• higheramountofdeadwood

• risingshareofnaturalregeneration

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EU- not ahuge forested Region,but ahuge Forest ProductsProducerEU28’s share oftotal world forest area in2015was 4%

Source:FAOSTAT

EU28’s shareofworld total valueofforestexportsin2015was 42%=110billionUSD

Brazil+Russia33%

EU4%

REST

BuildingaCarbonSinkinEurope– whoelse?

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Source:Nabuursetal.2013

EU28

forest sink

MitigatingGHGEmissionsbyForests……andWoodUse!

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Ø trade-offsbetween options,each having its limitations,risks and temporaldynamics of emissionsØ themost effective forest-based mitigation strategy should optimize the sum of alloptions inagiven timeframe

Source:G.Grassi,JRC,presentation20170530,Brussels

NewCEPIstudy presented 19.June2020:20%offset in2018

StoringCarboninForestsisnotfreeofRisks

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ForestdisturbancedamageinEurope 1971–2030

Source:Seidletal.2014

Photo:CameronStrandberg

EUForest Biomass - anOpportunity

WWW.EFI.INTRoundwood productionfortheperiod2000-2010(m3 ha-1 landyr-1)

Øgrowingresource:moreforeststhaneversinceearlyMedievaltimes;areaandgrowingstockstillincreasing,firstsignsofsaturation

Øincreasedproductivitybyexpandingstate-of-theartforestmanagementpractices

Ømainsourceofnon-food,non-feedrenewablebiologicalmaterial forthecircularbioeconomy

Øincreasing investmentsininnovationand regionalpoliciestotransformtowardsacircularbioeconomy

Source:Verkerketal.2015

EUForest Biomass facing achanging Environment

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ØmorediverseforestownershipwithdifferentattitudesØstructuralchangesinwood-processingindustriesandglobalwood-productmarkets

Ø lackingachievementsonEUnature/biodiversityconservationgoals

Øadditionalandsometimesconflictingsocietaldemands,e.g.moreambitiousnature/biodiversityconservation,climatechangemitigation,transitiontoamoreclimatefriendlyandsustainablesociety

Øgrowingimpactofdisturbances,e.g.forestfires,wind,snow/ice,droughts,pestsanddiseases

PrivateForest Ownership

Source:Pulla etal.2013

The Future – full ofUncertainties andContradictions

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Ø increasingglobaldemandformaterialsduetoagrowingandincreasinglyrichglobalpopulation

Ø roleofmaterialandenergysubstitutioninclimatechangemitigation

Ødynamicsofglobalmarketsforwoodandwood-basedproductsinthetransitiontoacircularbioeconomy

Ø impactsofclimatechange- productivitychanges- increaseindisturbances,whichmayoutweighproductivitygains- feedbacksfromforeststoclimatenotlimitedtocarbon- balancingmitigationandadaptation

Ø futuredevelopmentofnitrogen depositionØparadigmshiftontheroleofforestsinEUpoliciesØsociallicensetooperateinforestryandwood-processingindustries

Source:Hatfield-Dodds etal.2017

Future GlobalRaw Material Demand

Raw material extraction associated with+41%inGHGemissions

EUForestPolicyEnvironmentin2020acomplex puzzleof sectoral policies

DGAGRI DGENV DGRTD DGSANTEDGENERDGCLIMA DGGROWSource:CEPF,mod.. DGFISMA

EffortSharingRegulation

Post-2020CAP/RD,StateAid,EIPAGRI

ForestStrategyandMAP

StateAidRules

HabitatDirectiveGuidanceNatura2000andforests

GreenInfrastructure

WaterFrameworkDirective

TimberRegulation

InvasiveAlienSpeciesRegulation

RoadmaptoaResourceEfficientEurope

NoNetLossMappingofEcosystem

Services(MAES)

7th EnvironmentActionProgramme

BiodiversityStrategyto2020

Horizon2020

BioeconomyStrategy

HorizonEurope LULUCFRegulation

LULUCFreview

RenewableEnergyDirectiveII(sustainabilitycriteriaforbiomass)

ILUCRegulation

2030ClimateandEnergyFramework

EnergyUnionGovernanceRegulation

CENsustainabilitycriteriabio-basedproducts

PlantHealthRegulation

PublicProcurementDirective

ForestReproductiveMaterialDirective

CAP/RDPolicy

CircularEconomyActionPlanII

FLEGTActionPlan

2050- Vision

AgriculturalResearchandInnovation

BlueprintForest-basedIndustries

EIPAGRI

IndustrialStrategyGuidanceCascadingUse

ofBiomass

PlasticsStrategy

NatureActionPlan

HaltEU-drivenglobalDeforestation

PackagingDirectiveII

BiodiversityStrategyto2030

ProtectandRestoretheWorld’sForests

SingleUsePlasticDirective

8th EnvironmentActionProgramme

REDIIreview

NewStrategyonAdaptationtoClimateChangeClimateLaw

Post-2020ForestStrategy

PlantProtectionProductsRegulation

UNAgenda2030/SDGsParisAgreement

BonnChallenge

ForestReproductiveMaterialRegulations

BirdsDirective

International

SustainableFinanceActionPlan

Parliament

SustainableFinanceRegulations(Taxonomy)

inpreparation

LIFE+Programme BernConvention(wildlifeandnaturalhabitats)

AarhusConvention(accesstoinformationandjustice

onenvironmentmatters)

FORESTEUROPE(incl.Resolutions)

ClimateChangeFrameworkConvention

(incl.Protocols)

BiodiversityConvention(incl.Protocols)

CombatDesertificationConvention

UNForumonForests

ConventiononLong-rangeTransboundaryAirPollution/ICPForest

AlpineConventionCarpathianConvention

WTOAgreements

EuropeanGreenDeal–OtherActions

RenovationWaveInitiativeBuiltEnvironmentStrategy

SustainableProductsPolicyInitiativeLeadMarketsclimateneutral/circularProducts

CarbonRemovalsCertificationEuropeanUrbanInitiative

Long-termVisionforRuralAreas

NatureRestorationPlan

3billionTreePlantingRoadmap

The new EU Governance Framework

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Ø newEuropeanCommission,ParliamentandCommitteeoftheRegions

Ø newpoliticalguidelinesfortheEuropeanCommission2019-2024-auniqueaspirationoflivinginanaturalandhealthycontinent,reflectingtheimportanceoftacklingclimatechangeandbiodiversitychallenges

Ø impactofCOVID19andrecoveryneeds

EuropeanGreenDeal

PresidentVonderLeyen ontheEuropeanGreenDeal:…itisaboutcuttingemissions,…… creatingjobsandboostinginnovation.…..Wecarealsoaboutbiodiversityandforests,…..greencitiesandforexamplethecirculareconomy.

ForestBiomassforIndustriesandtheEnergyUnion

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NewIndustrialStrategy for Europe…securesupplyofcleanandaffordableenergyandrawmaterials…reducingitscarbonandmaterialfootprint

EUEnergyUnion…renewableenergysourcesareacrucialelement…decarbonising theenergysystem…energysupplyneedstobesecureandaffordable

Sustainablysourcedforestbiomasswill…Ø continuetobeanimportantcontributortoenergysecurity,independenceandmitigationofenergypovertyØ beneededforenergygenerationandmaterialproductioninthefuturedevelopmentofEUindustries

PrimaryenergyproductionintheBaseline

Source:EuropeanCommission2018

Forest-basedValueChainsforRuralDevelopment

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GeneralobjectivesoftheEUCommonAgriculturalPolicy- fosterasmart,resilientanddiversifiedagriculturalsectorensuringfoodsecurity- bolsterenvironmentalcareandclimateactionandtocontributetotheenvironmental- andclimate-relatedobjectivesoftheUnion

- strengthenthesocio-economicfabricofruralareas

Ø forest-basedvaluechainsareimportantcontributorstotheeconomicdevelopment,employment,innovation,identityanddynamismofruralregions

Ø strengthenthecontributionsofland-basedproductionsystemstothebioeconomy (growingbiomassneedsforfoodandnon-foodapplications,demandsfromothersectors/policiesonecosystemservices)

Ø supportprosperousterritorialdevelopmentadaptedtoongoingchangesintheruralandurbanlandscapes;increasingtheirresilience (natural,socio-economic)

Ø EuropeanGreenDealrequestsnationalCAPStrategicPlanstoincentivise forestmanagerstopreserve,growandmanageforestssustainably

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WecannotsolvetheGrandSocietalChallengeswithoutthehelpalsofrombiologicalResources

Helsinki City new wooden library

Ø prioritynumberone:phasing-outfossils

Ø inthelong-run,youcandothisintheenergysectorwithoutbiomass,butneeditstillinthecomingdecadeortwo(energysecurity,mitigatingenergypoverty)

Ø inthematerialsector,youcannotphase-outfossilsandotherclimate-unfriendlymaterialswithoutbiomass

Ø needtocutdownconsumption,increaseresourceefficiencyandboostsustainablecircularbioeconomy-wehavenorealisticalternativeoptions

EuropeanGreenDealRenovationWaveInitiative

Circular EconomyActionPlan–Sustainable ProductsInitiative

The EuropeanGreenDeal hardly seestheforest-basedBioeconomy

Øarathernarrowperspective onforests:carbonsinkandbiodiversity

Øveryfewstatementsonthemultiplebenefits forestsprovidetosociety

Ømarketaspectsandtheimpactonregionaleconomicdevelopment arehardlymentioned.Employment implications ofthetransitiontocarbonneutralityby2050areweaklyaddressed.

ØEUforest-basedsectorcandomuchmoreforreachingtheclimate,biodiversity,economicandsocialobjectivesthantheEuropeanGreenDealproposalnowindicates

Øpost-COVID19recoveryenhancestheabovepoint® circular bioeconomy isessentialtocombinecarbonneutrality+employment+incomeneeds+biodiversityconservation

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Narrow,few options

Wide,many options

Biodiversity,ClimateChangeMitigationandAdaptationinForestsaremarriedØkeepingforestsinks,controllingdisturbancerisksandadaptingforeststochangingclimaterequiresforestmanagement(e.g.transformmonoculturetomixedspeciesforests)

ØmitigatingbiodiversitylossintheEUforestsneedsmorediversemeasuresthantheEGDseemstosuggests(e.g.forestmanagement)

ØOne-size-fits-allpolicyisnotoptimal.TowhatextentdoesthecentralrequirementforreforestationandafforestationmakesenseindifferentMemberStates(e.g.inSpain,Finland,….)?

Ø forest owners andwood-processing industries need incentives &income tofinanceadaptation,resilience,forest managementandinnovation®bioeconomy needed

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GreenDeal should maximize Synergies

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Ø demandsforforestusecanhavetrade-offs,butalsosynergies

Ø biodiversityisprerequisiteforsustainableandresilientbioeconomy,butsustainablebioeconomyisalsoneededtoprotectbiodiversityasitgeneratesincomeforforestownersandforestindustrythatallowsinvestmentinbiodiversityandnaturalcapital

Ø managementmeasurescansimultaneouslybenefitbiodiversityandbioeconomy,e.g.,plantingmixedforestsandaddressingdisturbances

Ø seekeconomicefficiencyandsynergies withotherpolicies

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Communication,AwarenessRaising and TrustBuildingare needed inongoing EUPolicy Processes

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Ø EUForestStrategypost-2020Ø ReviewoftheRenewableEnergyDirective(sustainabilitycriteriaforforestbiomass)

Ø ReviewoftheLULUCFRegulation(forestreferencelevels)Ø TaxonomyDelegatedAct(definitionofsustainableforestmanagement)

Ø LegalframeworktohaltandreverseEU-drivenglobaldeforestation(domesticproducersaffected)

Ø CAPStrategicPlans(roleofforest-basedvaluechains)Ø ImplementationoftheEUBiodiversityStrategyfor2030Ø NatureRestorationPlanØ Roadmapforplanting3billiontreesØ Guidelinesonbiodiversity-friendlyafforestation,reforestationandcloser-to-nature-forestrypracticesØ EUUrbanGreeningPlatform(urbantreesandforests)Ø ForestInformationSystemforEuropeFISE

Thankyouforyourattention!

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Photo: Sanit Fuangnakhon / Shutterstock