Climate adaptation in forestry

The election manifesto requires that clear-cutting is phased out, which is the same issue as the counter-proposal's criticism of intensive clear-cutting in sensitive areas. The party programme wants to see thoughtful regulation of forestry based on a holistic perspective and ambitious environmental goals followed up with strict legislation, which argues for tightened requirements rather than relying on landowners' own responsibility. The role of forest in climate work is according to the plan central.

• phased out clear-cuttingdecisive»därför behöver kalhyggesbruket fasas ut« (2022 manifesto ↗)“therefore clear-cutting needs to be phased out”
• regulation with holistic perspective»tänkt reglering av skogsbruket, som utgår från en helhetssyn och inte« (party programme ↗)“thought-out regulation of forestry, which is based on a holistic perspective and not”
• environmental goals with strict legislation»Vi vill se ambitiösa« (party programme ↗)“We want to see ambitious”
• strong forest protection»behövs ett starkt skydd av skog med rika ekosystem och en genom« (party programme ↗)“strong protection of forests with rich ecosystems and a comprehensive”

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 commits to strengthening preparedness against extreme weather and to continuing large investments in climate adaptation, and notes that necessary climate adaptations require even more resources. Tightened requirements for climate adaptation of forestry in risk-exposed areas follow from this, as does the requirement for active and sustainable forestry that protects climate and environment. The plan, however, does not specifically mention forestry methods in risk areas.

• preparedness against extreme weatherdecisive»• Stärk beredskapen mot extremväder. Annars riskerar skyfall att svämma över städer, torka slå ut hela skördar och skogsbränder att breda ut sig. Vi vill fortsätta de stora investeringarna så att kommunerna kan klimatanpassa lokalt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen preparedness against extreme weather. Otherwise, heavy rainfall risks flooding cities, drought threatens entire harvests and forest fires may spread. We want to continue the major investments so that municipalities can adapt to climate change locally.”
• climate adaptation requires resources»klimatanpassningar som blir nödvändiga att genomföra kräver än mer resurser.« (party programme ↗)“climate adaptations that become necessary to implement require even more resources.”
• sustainable forestry»Aktivt och hållbart skogsbruk som bidrar till svensk tillväxt och som samtidigt värnar« (party programme ↗)“Active and sustainable forestry that contributes to Swedish growth and simultaneously protects”
• protected infrastructure»Stark infrastruktur för stärkt beredskap.« (party programme ↗)“Strong infrastructure for strengthened preparedness.”

flags: citat_migrerat

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The plan states that clear-cutting forestry has had major impact on nature and that forestry should be conducted with nature-close methods with a large share without clear-cutting. It also wants climate adaptation to become a natural and integrated part of societal planning and notes that sufficient measures are lacking. Stricter demands for climate adaptation of forestry in at-risk areas therefore follow from the plan.

• clear-cutting damages naturedecisive»Kalhyggesbruket har lett till stor påverkan på vår natur.« (party programme ↗)“Clear-cutting forestry has led to major impact on our nature.”
• nature-close forestry»Skogsbruket ska bedrivas med naturnära metoder. Det innebär bland annat att en stor andel ska vara hyggesfritt, vilket är bra för klimatet, artrikedomen och friluftslivet.« (party programme ↗)“Forestry should be conducted with nature-close methods. This means among other things that a large share should be without clear-cutting, which is good for the climate, species richness and outdoor life.”
• climate adaptation integrated»Miljöpartiet vill att klimatanpassning ska vara en självklar och integrerad del av samhällsplaneringen.« (party programme ↗)“The Greens want climate adaptation to be a natural and integrated part of societal planning.”
• current measures insufficient»Trots allvaret saknas tillräckliga insatser för att anpassa samhällen i tid.« (party programme ↗)“Despite the seriousness, sufficient measures are lacking to adapt societies in time.”

The election manifesto establishes that sustainable forestry presupposes active use and that forestry needs good conditions based on strong property rights, and that nature conservation should be based on voluntary participation and the landowner's involvement. The counter-proposal instead wants to sharpen the requirements for how forest owners can use their forest in risk-exposed areas. The plan recognizes the obligation to use without depleting, but chooses the voluntary line over sharpened requirements.

• forestry with strong property rightsdecisive»Skogsbruket behöver goda förutsättningar grundade i en stark äganderätt.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Forestry needs good conditions based on strong property rights.”
• voluntary nature conservation»Mer måste göras för att restaurera våtmarker, bekämpa invasiva arter och underlätta för markägare att bidra, då frivillighet och äganderätt är grunden för en bättre naturvård.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“More must be done to restore wetlands, combat invasive species and make it easier for landowners to contribute, as voluntary participation and property rights are the basis for better nature conservation.”
• active forest use»Ett hållbart skogsbruk förutsätter ett aktivt brukande av skogen.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Sustainable forestry presupposes active use of the forest.”
• use without depleting»Vi har en skyldighet att bruka utan att förbruka, att inte föröda kretsloppen för kommande generationer.« (party programme ↗)“We have an obligation to use without depleting, not to deplete the cycles for future generations.”

The plan requires societal planning to manage the consequences of climate change and places long-term responsibility on both the state and the forestry sector for the forest's ecosystem services and environmental consideration. Sharpened requirements for climate adaptation in forest areas at risk, with felling methods that vary according to environmental consideration, follow from this. The plan also links climate transition to nature conservation and biological diversity.

• planning for climate risksdecisive»Det behövs samhällsplanering för att klara klimatförändringarnas följder, till exempel höjda vattennivåer.« (party programme ↗)“Societal planning is needed to manage the consequences of climate change, for example raised water levels.”
• shared responsibility for forests»Både staten och skogsnäringen har ett långtgående ansvar att skydda skogens ekosystemtjänster, bevara den biologiska mångfalden och slå vakt om naturvård och miljöhänsyn.« (party programme ↗)“Both the state and the forestry sector have a long-term responsibility to protect the forest's ecosystem services, preserve biological diversity and safeguard nature management and environmental consideration.”
• adapted felling methods»Avverkningsmetoder måste kunna variera utifrån miljöhänsyn.« (party programme ↗)“Felling methods must be able to vary according to environmental consideration.”
• transition with nature management»Med en klimatomställning som går hand i hand med naturvård och biologisk mångfald.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“With a climate transition that goes hand in hand with nature management and biological diversity.”

The plan takes no explicit position on what the committee actually decided — often because the committee's reason was procedural. The stance is derived and fully cited, but it does not show the party broke a commitment.

The election manifesto points out that ownership of forests is threatened, and the party programme sees the landowner as a major resource and requires long-term rules where production and environmental goals have equal standing. Sharpened requirements for climate adaptation of forestry in at-risk areas means new burdens on the forest owner beyond these rules. The plan's line for rural industries is regulatory changes and cost relief, not tightening. The demand is rejected, although on weak grounds.

• protected ownership of forestsdecisive»äganderätten över skogen hotas« (2022 manifesto ↗)“ownership of forests is threatened”
• the landowner as steward»Markägarna är här en stor resurs« (party programme ↗)“Landowners are here a major resource”
• long-term rules for forestry»För att svenskt skogsbruk och skogsindustri ska kunna utvecklas krävs övergripande långsiktiga och hållbara spelregler som främjar såväl produktions som miljömål.« (party programme ↗)“For Swedish forestry and forest industry to be able to develop requires overarching long-term and sustainable rules that promote both production and environmental goals.”
• relief from rules for rural industries»Regeländringar och kostnadslättnader för svenskt lantbruk för att öka Sveriges självförsörjning och stärka lantbrukets konkurrenskraft.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Regulatory changes and cost relief for Swedish agriculture to increase Sweden's self-sufficiency and strengthen agriculture's competitiveness.”

The plan's stated policy is to support, not control, agriculture and forestry and to strengthen forest owners' property rights so that formal protection takes place through voluntariness. Stricter requirements for climate adaptation in vulnerable areas is precisely such control of how individual owners can manage their forests. The plan instead wants to reduce the number of rules and address environmental problems with support for technology and voluntary initiatives.

• support not control forestrydecisive»Vi ska stötta, inte styra, jord- och skogsbruket« (2022 manifesto ↗)“We shall support, not control, agriculture and forestry”
• voluntariness before coercion»Stärka skogsägarnas äganderätt genom att formellt skydd av skog ska ske genom frivillighet« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen forest owners' property rights by ensuring formal protection of forests takes place through voluntariness”
• property rights enable sustainability»Äganderätten är en förutsättning för ett hållbart skogsbruk.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Property rights are a prerequisite for sustainable forestry.”
• fewer rules»Minska antalet regler för jordbruket och korta handläggningstider för miljötillstånd« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Reduce the number of rules for agriculture and shorten processing times for environmental permits”

The plan establishes that forest owners' right to manage their forests should be protected, that property rights should be strengthened and that voluntary action under responsibility with guidance works best to create environmental value. The counter-proposal's requirement for tightened requirements on climate adaptation of forestry in risk-exposed areas means compulsory regulation of management methods. The plan instead wants to simplify regulations and improve legal security for landowners.

• voluntary action under responsibilitydecisive»Erfarenheten visar att frivillighet under ansvar fungerar bäst för att skapa miljövärden, stöttat med kompetent och hjälpande rådgivning.« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Experience shows that voluntary action under responsibility works best to create environmental value, supported by competent and helpful guidance.”
• right to manage own forest»Värna skogsägarnas rätt att bruka sina skogar« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Protect forest owners' right to manage their forests”
• simpler rules for forestry»Förenkla regelverken och förbättra rättssäkerheten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Simplify regulations and improve legal security”
• strengthened property rights»Stärka äganderätten« (2022 manifesto ↗)“Strengthen property rights”