"Let consensus on forests become policy"

Helena Lindahl, a departing member of the Swedish Parliament, urges for a unified political approach to bolster the nation's forest sector. She emphasizes that the broad consensus recently achieved on a new forest proposition, supported by nearly 90% of parliament members, should translate into a cohesive strategy. Lindahl argues that actively managed forests are a vital strategic resource for Sweden, underpinning the green transition, ensuring industrial competitiveness, and enhancing national preparedness. By processing domestic timber, Sweden can build internal value chains that strengthen its economy and resilience. Lindahl expresses hope that major political parties will unite behind a more proactive forest policy in the upcoming term. She criticizes the Social Democrats' historical tendency to prioritize other interests over rural development and primary industries, which she believes has skewed the balance between production and environmental goals, limiting forest owners' freedom and property rights. The current government, however, has shown more promise. Lindahl points to a forest inquiry led by Göran Örlander, which aimed to rebalance production and environmental concerns, simplify processes, and foster growth and job creation. The inquiry's analysis suggested that implementing its recommendations could create up to 45,000 new jobs and significantly increase forest growth, generating substantial economic value over the next century. Despite this potential, the recent parliamentary proposition only incorporated parts of the inquiry's findings. Lindahl stresses the need to continue strengthening Sweden's forest competitiveness, particularly in light of global trade uncertainties highlighted by events in the Hormuz Strait and Ukraine. She advocates for leveraging forest resources to phase out fossil fuels and create advanced biofuels from timber byproducts, a critical step for decarbonizing aviation and reducing reliance on imported oil.