The first session of the conference was concluded by a panel discussion on the EU framework for biomass sustainability. Vice Chair to PEFC Board of Directors, Natalie Hufnagel was attending the panel on behalf of the German forest owner association, member of CEPF, together with representatives from the Confederation of European Paper Industry (CEPI), the European Biomass Association (AEBIOM), and World Agroforestry Centre.
Hufnagel underlined the importance of sustainable forest management (SFM) in the EU and sustainable use of biomass as part of SFM. She showcased that there is no sustainability problem referring to forests in the EU. “Our management system with a holistic approach is sustainable. In this context it has to be understood that we are not managing forests just to produce bioenergy. The integrated forest model must be taken into account in Europe.”
The experts in the second session discussed the role of forest certification within the EU FLEGT Action Plan. Sheam Satkuru-Granzella, Vice Chair of the PEFC Board of Directors and Director at the Malaysian Timber Council (MTC), presented her views on the synergies between certification and the FLEGT Action Plan. This comes in light of the recent evaluation of both the Voluntary Partnership Agreements and the EU Timber Regulation. The presentation was followed by a panel discussion gathering representatives from local and international stakeholders, as well as international organizations and NGOs.