Promoting sustainable forestry in a growing bioeconomy for Europe (PROFOR)
Coordinator: Mika Mustonen, LUKE, mika.mustonen(a)luke.fi
Knut Øistad. Photo: Kalev Jõgiste
The European Green Deal, launched in 2019, is a growth strategy and roadmap that aims to transform the EU into a fair and prosperous society with a greener competitive economy and with a net-zero emission of GHG by 2050. In the Ursula von den Leyen’s new Commission (2024-2029), these goals will be promoted under Clean Industrial Deal, enhancing the competitiveness of Europe’s net-zero industry and is accelerating the transition to climate neutrality. The ambition of these EU plans signal a societal transformation not experienced for decades in Europe. European Commission, the Council, and the European Parliament all state that the transition should be science-based and emphasize the role of forests in achieving the goals for a wide range of policy objectives.
The PROFOR network represents a variety of researchers and research institutions in the Nordic-Baltic countries. The network’s added value is the ability to synthesize current Nordic-Baltic forest research of value for the implementation of the European EU’s strategic forest and forestry-related objectives, and to provide science as policy support for decision makers designing these policies in Brussels and elsewhere. The major relevance of the network will be to present Nordic-Baltic research in a way that is clearly targeted to support knowledge-based decisions in the implementation of various aspects of the EU policies both at European and member state levels.
European forests and their dynamics, as well as the use of forests vary between the regions. Therefore, a region‐specific view on forest and sustainable forestry needs to be highlighted at the EU level. Further, scientific level of forest sciences is high in the Nordic and Baltic countries creating, thus, possibilities to provide high quality input to European forest-related policies.
From this Nordic-Baltic perspective, the network will focus particularly on the “Trilemma” – how to simultaneously achieve enhanced carbon storage and sequestration, increased production of roundwood for wood-based products that substitute fossil-based raw materials, and the maintenance of forest biodiversity, ensuring the capacity to support functional ecosystems and ecosystem services.
Overall long-term goals for the network
• To advance the sustainable use of forests in Europe by synthesizing science-based knowledge to tackle the conflicting goals of sustainable forest management. This includes enhancing forest resilience, implementing climate-efficient forestry practices, and utilizing forest resources in a growing bioeconomy, with a focus on all dimensions of sustainability.
• To foster interaction between science and policy, bringing together research, industry, politics, and stakeholders across sectors and national borders, both in the participating countries and in Brussels.
• To advocate for increased European funding for research and innovation in sustainable forestry, and to promote the participation of network partners in EU funded projects.
Goals for 2025
• To continue strengthening Nordic‐Baltic cooperation in supporting EU forest-related policy processes with scientific knowledge, and to influence European forest research funding by maintaining and updating connections with policy makers and other stakeholders in Brussels.
• To raise awareness of current Nordic‐Baltic forest research in the EU through a forest seminar in Brussels.
• To enhance Nordic‐Baltic influence on the new Clean Industrial Deal policies and the upcoming Framework Programme research funding by developing shared Nordic‐Baltic science‐based visions and positions, as well as objectives for future work.
Activities in 2025
Photo: Kalev Jõgiste
• We will organize a forest seminar aimed at EU policymakers and key stakeholders in Brussels. The overarching theme of the seminar will be ‘Science for multifunctional forests in the new Clean Industrial Deal’, with a specific focus on changes in environmental and industrial policies under the new Commission. The seminar will explore ways to maintain and enhance the role of forests and forestry in addressing these challenges.
• We will write a position paper to be presented at the seminar, which will serve as the basis for the PROFOR presentations during the event.
• We will organize targeted face-to-face meetings with relevant decision makers and stakeholders, with particular focus on environmental NGOs.
• We will organize a workshop hosted by NIBIO in Norway to prepare the PROFOR position paper messages. Stakeholders will be invited to participate. Special emphasis will be placed on encouraging young researchers to engage and present their areas of study.