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-Associations from Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia demand a clear commitment to sustainable forest management<\/em><\/p>\n -Impact assessment of EU policies and their interactions for forests and the forestry and timber value chain<\/em><\/p>\n -Better framework conditions for sustainable forest management and the use of wood<\/em><\/p>\n The interest groups of the wood industry from seven member states of the European Union are committed to climate protection, employment and value creation through the use of wood from sustainable forest management.\u00a0Mag. Herbert J\u00f6bstl, Chairman of the Association of the Austrian Timber Industry, explains: \u201cThe EU and the Member States want to combat climate change, in which many areas of the economy are to be decarbonized and the economy as a whole is to be made more sustainable.\u00a0The forest and the use of wood already contribute to this and could contribute much more.\u00a0Unfortunately, many political impulses from the EU, especially from the Commission, go in a different direction.\u201d<\/p>\n The associations from Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia therefore demand:<\/p>\n -A clear commitment by the EU and governments to sustainable forest management and increased use of wood,<\/em><\/p>\n -a comprehensive impact assessment of EU policies and their interactions on forests and the forestry and timber value chain;<\/em><\/p>\n -and better framework conditions for sustainable forest management and the use of wood.<\/em><\/p>\n From the point of view of the industry, numerous legal acts or strategies create false incentives.\u00a0It would either be about placing large areas of forest under even stricter legal protection and restricting forest management, or about forcing carbon build-up in the forest.\u00a0J\u00f6bstl: \u201cDowngrading the forest to carbon repository does not lead to the intended decarbonization.\u00a0The forests must be managed systematically in order to become climate-friendly with site-adapted tree species and pest control.\u00a0Sustainable forest management keeps forests vital and continuously growing at a high level.\u201d In addition, CO2 emissions can be avoided by using wood from Europe's forests.\u00a0The expansion of timber construction in the building sector and the wide use of the material offer alternatives to fossil raw materials and CO2-intensive materials and products.\u00a0\"While the carbon from the harvested tree remains bound in a wooden building, a young tree grows back in the forest and absorbs CO2 again.\u00a0This is how we create a second forest that protects the climate and guarantees jobs.\u00a0Wood use and active forestry are strong levers to counteract climate change,\" emphasizes J\u00f6bstl.<\/p>\n After all, the forestry and timber industry is a very robust branch of the economy that is largely independent of raw materials outside the EU.\u00a0In the face of climate change and economic uncertainties, the timber industry requires reliable and economical raw material availability.\u00a0This must not be restricted politically.\u00a0\u201cThe criticism of the course of the EU is not an individual opinion from Austria.\u00a0The associations from six other member states with large forest areas and experience in the timber industry share these common positions.\u00a0We will look for other partners for our concerns,\" emphasizes J\u00f6bstl and continues: \"The commission in particular must clarify what it wants: timber construction without wood from the forest does not work.<\/p>\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" -Associations from Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia demand a clear commitment to sustainable forest management -Impact assessment of EU policies and their interactions for forests and the forestry and timber value chain -Better framework conditions … Continue reading