Forestry's role in the bioeconomy

The election manifesto ties forest policy to climate goals: clearcutting should be phased out, the forest's carbon sink should be preserved, and only residual products should be used for biofuel. The counter-proposal's demand for a growing bio-economy with strengthened domestic biofuel production and higher added value presupposes instead increased extraction from the forest. The plan supports regional development and that natural resources' value remains local, but the overarching priority is the carbon sink and biodiversity.

• clearcutting phased outdecisive»För att uppnå klimatmålen behöver skogens funktion som kolsänka bevaras de kommande decennierna, därför behöver kalhyggesbruket fasas ut.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“To achieve climate goals, the forest's function as a carbon sink must be preserved over the coming decades, which is why clearcutting must be phased out.”
• only residual products for biofuel»Den skog som avverkas måste användas klokt där endast restprodukter ska användas till biobränsle.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The forest that is harvested must be used wisely where only residual products shall be used for biofuel.”
• the forest as carbon sink»Skogens roll att naturligt minska och lagra utsläpp behöver stärkas och torrlagda våtmarker som läcker utsläpp ska återställas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The forest's role in naturally reducing and storing emissions needs to be strengthened and drained wetlands that leak emissions should be restored.”
• value remains in rural areas»Mer av naturresursernas värden måste stanna kvar där de utvinns och produceras.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More of the value of natural resources must remain where they are extracted and produced.”

The election manifesto explicitly promises to increase Swedish production of renewable fuels so that it becomes easier to refuel fossil-free, which is the heart of the counter-proposal's requirement for strengthened domestic biofuel production and higher processing degree. The plan also sees the green transition as a job engine throughout the country and as a driver for growth. The requirement that forestry be environmentally sustainable is in line with the plan's requirement to protect biological diversity. The plan, however, does not state itself on the design of forest policy otherwise.

• domestic renewable fuelsdecisive»Vi vill öka den svenska produktionen av förnybara drivmedel, så att det blir lättare att tanka fossilfritt i Sverige.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We want to increase Swedish production of renewable fuels, so that it becomes easier to refuel fossil-free in Sweden.”
• green transition creates jobs»Det skapar tusentals jobb över hela landet här och nu – jobb med svenska löner och kollektivavtal.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“This creates thousands of jobs across the country here and now – jobs with Swedish wages and collective agreements.”
• sustainable transition drives growth»Omställningen till en ekologiskt hållbar utveckling är en stark drivkraft för ekonomisk« (party programme ↗)“The transition to ecologically sustainable development is a strong driver for economic”
• protect biological diversity»biologiska mångfalden måste skyddas.« (party programme ↗)“biological diversity must be protected.”

The plan's core commitment on forests is protection and change of management methods, not increased production volume: 30 per cent of nature shall be protected and more forestry conducted using clear-felling-free methods. The counter-proposal instead makes a growing bioeconomy with higher extraction for biofuels and refinement the foundation of forest policy. Since the plan establishes that environmental considerations shall weigh heavier than exploitation interests it speaks against that prioritisation.

• protect 30 per cent of naturedecisive»skydda 30 procent av Sveriges natur, bland annat våra unika sammanhängande fjällskogar och skyddsvärda skogar i hela landet.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“protect 30 per cent of Sweden's nature, including our unique contiguous mountain forests and protectable forests throughout the country.”
• clear-felling-free forestry»att mer skogsbruk bedrivs med hyggesfria metoder.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“that more forestry is conducted using clear-felling-free methods.”
• environmental considerations before exploitation»Miljöhänsyn ska väga tyngre än kortsiktiga exploateringsintressen.« (party programme ↗)“Environmental considerations shall weigh heavier than short-term exploitation interests.”
• use with biodiversity responsibility»Bruk av skog, vatten och mark måste kopplas till ett ansvar för att den biologiska mångfalden inte ska utarmas.« (party programme ↗)“Use of forest, water and land must be linked to a responsibility that biological diversity shall not be depleted.”

The election manifesto makes forest a key to the green transition and establishes that sustainable forestry requires active management, with the forest as the source of future biofuels and building materials. The plan also wants to multiply production of biofuels to strengthen energy independence. The counter-proposal's requirement for climate-smart forestry as the basis for employment and a growing bioeconomy thus aligns with the plan.

• actively managed forestry in the bioeconomydecisive»Skogen är en nyckel i den gröna omställningen. Ett hållbart skogsbruk förutsätter ett aktivt brukande av skogen. Den lagrar koldioxid, skapar jobb och är källan till framtidens biobränslen och byggmaterial.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Forest is a key to the green transition. Sustainable forestry requires active management of the forest. It stores carbon dioxide, creates jobs and is the source of future biofuels and building materials.”
• multiplied biofuel production»Sveriges energioberoende måste stärkas, bland annat genom att mångdubbla produktionen av biobränslen och biogas.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sweden's energy independence must be strengthened, among other things by multiplying production of biofuels and biogas.”
• renewable fuels with competitiveness»Mer behöver göras för att flyget, sjöfarten och jordbruket ska kunna ställa om till förnybara drivmedel med stärkt konkurrenskraft.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More needs to be done for aviation, shipping and agriculture to be able to switch to renewable fuels with strengthened competitiveness.”
• forest as green resource base»Sverige ska visa vägen för hur skogen kan utvecklas som källa till biologisk mångfald« (party programme ↗)“Sweden shall show the way for how the forest can be developed as a source of biological diversity”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.

The party programme says that the forest's potential in renewable materials and energy production shall be utilised and that forest policy rests on two equal goals, the production goal and the environmental goal. It is precisely this the counter-proposal requires: climate-smart and sustainable forestry as the basis for employment and a growing bio-economy. The election manifesto moreover protects Swedish forestry and wants that blending of fossil-free fuels continues, which supports increased domestic biofuel production.

• forest's raw material potential utiliseddecisive»Skogens potential inom förnybara material, kemiska produkter, textilier och energiproduktion« (party programme ↗)“The forest's potential in renewable materials, chemical products, textiles and energy production”
• equal forest policy goals»Den svenska skogspolitiken ska vila på två jämställda mål, produktionsmålet och miljömålet.« (party programme ↗)“Swedish forest policy shall rest on two equal goals, the production goal and the environmental goal.”
• protected Swedish forestry»Allemansrätten och det svenska skogsbruket ska värnas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Common heritage and Swedish forestry shall be protected”
• continued biofuel blending»Fler ska välja elbilen och en inblandning av fossilfria bränslen ska fortsätta.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More shall choose the electric car and a blending of fossil-free fuels shall continue.”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.

The party programme makes forestry and its processing industry a Swedish base industry where production and environmental goals shall have the same priority, which is precisely the view of the forest that the counter-proposal expresses. The energy section further establishes that domestic renewable fuels shall form a growing base and that domestic production shall be stimulated, which supports the requirement for strengthened biofuel production and higher degree of processing. The election manifesto's line on reduced involvement of expensive biofuel concerns fuel price, not the forest industry's role in the bioeconomy.

• forestry as a base industrydecisive»Skogsbruket och den därmed sammanhängande förädlingsindustrin är sedan länge en viktig svensk« (party programme ↗)“Forestry and the associated processing industry have for a long time been an important Swedish”
• production and environmental goals are equal»Det är angeläget att dessa mål har samma prioritet och dignitet vid utformandet av den övergripande« (party programme ↗)“It is important that these goals have the same priority and dignity when designing the overarching”
• domestic renewable energy sources»Sveriges energiförsörjning ska tryggas genom en långsiktig energipolitik med fasta spelregler, där inhemska förnybara energikällor och bränslen utgör en växande bas.« (party programme ↗)“Sweden's energy supply shall be secured through a long-term energy policy with fixed rules, where domestic renewable energy sources and fuels form a growing base.”
• stimulated domestic production»Inhemsk produktion ska stimuleras.« (party programme ↗)“Domestic production shall be stimulated.”

flags: spanning_valmanifest_partiprogram

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.

The election manifesto establishes that more forest shall be managed and that forestry is important for manufacturing biofuels, and explicitly promises investment in biofuel production. The counter-proposal's demands for managed forestry as a basis for employment, higher processing value and growing bio-economy therefore follow directly from the plan. The plan moreover links reduced vulnerability and increased self-sufficiency to the new security situation, which strengthens the same conclusion.

• investment in biofuelsdecisive»Satsa på tillverkning av biodrivmedel« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Invest in manufacturing biofuels”
• increased forestry»mer skog ska brukas, inte mindre« (2022 manifesto ↗)“more forest shall be managed, not less”
• forest as raw material»Skogsbruket är även viktigt för att tillverka bland annat biodrivmedel.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Forestry is also important for manufacturing, among other things, biofuels.”
• increased self-sufficiency»Det nya säkerhetsläget i Europa gör att vi som land måste minska vår sårbarhet och öka vår självförsörjningsgrad.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The new security situation in Europe means that we as a country must reduce our vulnerability and increase our self-sufficiency.”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.

The plan explicitly wants to promote Swedish biofuel production and develop new sustainable products from forest raw materials, which is precisely what the counter-proposal is seeking in the form of higher value-added and domestic biofuels. The plan moreover sees active forestry as a means for the transition and for employment throughout the country. Thereby the plan supports making the forest a pillar in the bioeconomy.

• promote Swedish biofuel productiondecisive»Främja svensk biobränsleproduktion« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Promote Swedish biofuel production”
• processing of forest raw materials»Utveckla nya hållbara produkter ur råvara från skogen« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Develop new sustainable products from forest raw materials”
• active forestry for climate benefit»Omställningen till ett mer fossilfritt samhälle främjas av ett aktivt skogsbruk.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“The transition to a more fossil-free society is promoted by active forestry.”
• usage rights in the forest»Värna skogsägarnas rätt att bruka sina skogar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Preserve forest owners' right to use their forests”

The stance rests on the quoted commitment in the party's own documents; the actual vote deviated. Click the quote to verify it in the document.