CEPF welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the Commission’s call for evidence on the ‘National targets and flexibilities in the EU climate policy framework after 2030 – review’.
Adaptive forest management measures will be elementary to support the forest carbon sink amid the proliferating impacts of climate change. The potential of sustainably managed multifunctional forests should be recognised and deployed beyond their function as sinks, addressing two major, interlinked goals which define our times: strategic autonomy of Europe and the transition away from the fossil-based economy.
Regarding the main structure and future approaches of EU climate policy beyond 2030, CEPF underlines that the role of ‘forest land’ in the future LULUCF Regulation should remain under the scope of member states and not sector by sector. European forest owners support the current structure of EU climate policy, keeping the LULUCF sectors under one legislative instrument and oppose the creation of a potential new, AFOLU climate policy pillar at EU level.
The role of forests should be taken into account through the whole forest-based value chain, attributing stronger consideration to the substitution effect of forest-based products beyond the current function of the Harvested Wood Products pool of the current LULUCF Regulation.
Mandatory targets combined with indicative targets could be considered on national level, reflecting the realistic capacity of the forest carbon sink, with the possibility of applying supporting, auxiliary tools through voluntary and market-based frameworks, as for example forestry measures under the CRCF Regulation.
