Back to the future – where are we heading?

EESC seminar, 27 – 2 – 2007These views expressed are purely those of the speaker and may not in any circumstances be regarded at stating an official position of the European Commission !

Current EU Framework

Member States’ Forest Policies EU Forest Strategy + Action Plan Standing Forestry Committee, Council

Working Group, Advisory Committees Scope of actions occur within the

margins of a number of Community policies

“Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson

afterwards” (Vernon Sanders)

One must give credit to the serious efforts

being made by foresters to breathe life

into forest policies and meeting the

growing demands of our urbanised

Societies

“Nothing endures but change”(Heraclitus)

The basics of EU forest framework is relatively static since 1998

The impact of the EU Forest Strategy mainly remains confined to a circle of forestry specialists

The debate is stagnating on governance questions and focusing on a cliché confrontation of environment versus economic interests

“Change your thoughts and you change your world” (N.V. Peale)

New trends in land use, climate change, energy market,

Global economic playing field, new market-based initiatives, increasing interferences between policy domains

Question: How to be at the right time, at the right place, where forest relevant policy decisions are taken ?

What approach (not) to take?(1)

“Wait and see”

Risk: forest policy decisions will be taken more and more by other policy areas

“the perfect bureaucrat everywhere is the man who manages to make no decisions and escape all responsibility” (Brooks Atkinson)

What approach (not) to take?(2)

“Debate on a future EU Constitution”

To introduce the forest policy coordination issue in the text of a future Treaty

Risks: If successful, potential impact unknown, Current discussions not favourable

What approach (not) to take(3)

“ a EU legal framework on forestry”

Risks: No agreement on which policy area

such an initiative should be based Multilevel governance problem

(subsidiarity, sharing responsibilities..)

What approach to take ?(4)

“Open Method of Coordination”

(see Forest Action Plan)

Positive experiences exist: ex. Council Working Group, allows “de-politisation”

Limits: “talking shop”, proved only to work where there is common interest in acting, lack of commitment, link to political decision-makers relatively weak

Pragmatic approach !

1. To implement the Forest Action Plan;2. To forget about ever-lasting ideological

debates on theoretical institutional and governance responsibilities which do not lead to any tangible outcome;

3. Within the given EU policy competences, to launch a few feasible, impact relevant policy initiatives of crucial interest for forest policies;

“Strong reasons make strong actions” (W. Shakespeare)

Global policy processes: climate change

Market for forest products: certification

Rural Development, Regional Policies: how to integrate forestry in the post 2013 strategies ?

Global policy processes

We have the choice:

UNFF, CBD, UNFCCC, ITTA, FAO, MCPFE….

UNFF

Important discussion forum for foresters Clear objectives for the future? Global values and public goods such as

climate, biodiversity and trade have already institutions governing them (UNFCCC, CBD, WTO respectively)

Council Working Group on Forestry leading the policy debate;

CBD

CBD COP-9 agenda 2008: revision of the CBD forest programme

Good cooperation between forest policy makers and environmental ministries

Climate Change(1)

Implementation of the existing framework

Negotiations of the post-2012 arrangements have started

The most prominent challenge for forestry!

Climate change (2)

Adaptation discussion: monitoring Carbon mitigation; policy priority on

reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries

Substitution possibilities (industrial raw material, bio-energy)

ACTION NEEDED: ex. COM foresees in 2008 a Communication on deforestation

Markets for Forest Products“Drive the business or it will drive you”

International timber trade: $ 140 billion (FAO, 2005)

Trade liberalisation Technical and plant health specifications Hot environmental issues: illegal logging

and certification

Markets for Forest Products

Research & Education (tech. platform) FLEGT Action Plan is implemented Certification has developed from a

fringe activity looked upon suspiciously by mainstream forestry and timber professionals to a generally accepted practice that is believed to improve the sector’s image

Certification(1)

Worldwide certified forest area now nearly 200 million ha (5%)

Europe and North America: 95% Relevant to several EU measures:

public procurement, eco-labelling, EMAS, FLEGT, climate change mitigation, bio-energy supply, state aids..

Certification(2)

Certification system supporters concentrated on dispute and argument about the features, assets and shortcomings of each other’s preferred scheme, hence creating more confusion vis-à-vis customers and consumers rather than promoting SFM

Action to envisage: to elaborate COM guidelines on baseline criteria for credible forest certification systems

From political strategies to territorial reality

Employment, bio-energies, climate change, biodiversity, … broad policy challenges are becoming important land use policy issues when it comes to the transposition into practice in the Member States;

We are leaving theory land and moving into the messy world of practice, with all its complexities and contradictions;

Multilevel governance: coordination

Future policy changes may be expected

CAP reform, future implementation of Natura 2000 and Water FD, budgetary discussions for the period after 2013…

Drivers of integration include environmental priorities, employment, new focus on bio-energy…

Positive message needed; not “damage limitation” or avoiding anything that looks like a real commitment to which one would be held accountable, especially if it costs money

Our ecosystems are the productive engines of the planet

Healthy ecosystems provide society with a huge array of material benefits

Important natural heritage to protect and we should be proud of it

Natura 2000 not opposed to economic activity; site management tailored to local circumstances, taking into account nature conservation and economic development

“No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it”

(Albert Einstein)

Reactionary, remedial approach in waiting for proposals from other policy sectors and try then to integrate forestry?

Active participation in the policy design process

Foresters need to start now to develop innovative ideas on their contribution to economic welfare and life quality in their regions

Win-win situations, highlighting major conflict areas…

Action: creation of a kind of independent think tank policy network (COM + EP, EESC, C o R..)

I hope I was able to pass my message !

“There is nothing a politician likes so little as to be well informed. It makes decision-making so complex and difficult.”

(John Maynard Keynes)

Thank youfor your attention