The call for intersectoral action in addressing complex environmental problems, such as land degradation, biodiversity loss and carbon emissions, has become increasingly pressing due to the complexity and uncertainty behind these challenges. These policy problems are referred to as “wicked problems” because they lack a single solution, which highlights...

The wood-based sector has the potential to contribute significantly to the circular bioeconomy. This paper examines the potential for implementing circular bioeconomy principles across two value chains, covering five sectors: “sawnwood”, “bioenergy”, “construction”, “paper and pulp”, and “cellulose-based fibres and plastics”. The qualitative value chain analysis is limited to...

The world’s prevalent economic model, based on a ‘take-make-use-dispose’ approach, cannot maintain and raise human standards of living without causing environmental degradation and incurring economic risks. Decoupling economic activity from the increasing demand for natural resources could be done through circular, bio-based economy approaches leading to a regenerative growth...

One of the flagship actions planned for under the European Green Deal was the development of a third EU Forest Strategy for which the Commission prepared a proposal in 2021 (EC, 2019). As part of this process, the European Parliament (EP) adopted a resolution on the third EU Forest...

New ammunition in the fight against deforestation or just more of the same? Under the umbrella of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and the ongoing 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, 124 countries have just signed a Declaration on Forests and Land Use,...

The pressure on natural resources continues to increase Increasing demand, changing climates and technologies, urbanisation, growing populations, societal demand and inequalities, globalisation and other megatrends are putting enormous pressure on natural resources, most of which are not renewable. Population growth and urbanisation: 9 billion people are expected by 2050...

Europe and the EU will face a significant new era of forest policymaking after 2020. A strategic and coordinated policy direction will be required, not least to support the implementation of globally agreed policy targets such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Climate Agreement and Convention on Biological...

Highlights The Shared Environmental Information System (SEIS) aim to expand the access to environmental data. SEIS has had a significant and positive impact on the production and harmonisation of environmental indicators. Data harmonization problems (e.g., data collection, definitions, and legislation) remain throughout the pan-European region. Non-evidence-based policymaking highlight a...

Integrated forest management (IFM) can help reconcile critical trade-offs between goals in forest management, such as nature conservation and biomass production. The challenge of IFM is dealing with these trade-offs at the level of practical forest management, such as striving for compromises between biomass extraction and habitat retention. With...

A Regional Comparison in the Uptake of the EU Forest Action Plan. The first EU Forest Strategy was adopted in 1998 to provide general guidelines for an EU forest policy designed to coordinate other EU forest-relevant policies. The implementation of the first strategy was done under the auspices of the EU...