Environment
Well-functioning forest ecosystems are essential
Forests provide society with valuable renewable raw material and therefore play a central role in sustainable development. At the same time, forests are home to plants and animals and provide society with critical ecosystem services. They stabilize our climate, clean the air we breathe, and are essential in the water cycle.
In the Swedish forest sector, environmental issues were brought forward with the forest policy bill that was adopted by the Swedish parliament in 1993. With that, the Swedish forest political objective to preserve valuable ecological and social values was given equal weight as the objective of an efficient and sustained timber production. Since then, the basis for nature conservation in the Swedish forestry model is that so called general consideration to natural- and cultural environments shall be taken on all productive forest land. Where natural- or cultural values are significantly high, forest land may be formally protected in the form of for example national parks, nature reserves or, for smaller areas, habitat protection or so called nature conservation agreements. In addition, many forest owners choose to set aside forest areas from timber production on a voluntary basis, without economic compensation by the state.
Many Swedish forest owners certify their forestry
In addition to environmental consideration stipulated by the law, many forest owners and forest companies choose to certify their forestry voluntarily. In Sweden, two systems for forest certification are applied: Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC). The overall aim of both FSC and PEFC is to promote a sustainable and responsible forestry and certify forestry against standards with defined requirements on forest management, environmental- as well as social considerations. Both schemes build on third party auditing to ensure that requirements are met.
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SEE MOVIE: Sustainable forestry - the Swedish model
The film explains how Swedish forestry is governed to be sustainable. Copyright: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Swedish Forest Agency – on forests and environment in Sweden
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) - FSC forest certification
Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) - PEFC forest certification
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Japan calls for eco-safe chips
Publicerad: Tuesday, 22 December, 2009 - 11:08Etiketter: EnvironmentAPANESE companies have demanded Tasmania provide them with Forest Stewardship Council accredited woodchips /themercury.com.auLäs mer -
Dead REDD? Not quite, but ..
Publicerad: Sunday, 20 December, 2009 - 23:24Etiketter: EnvironmentA plan to reduce tropical deforestation by paying developing countries to protect forests was postponed Saturday after world leaders failed to produce a binding climate agreement /mongabay.com.Läs mer -
Bangladesh must get Adequate Compensation for Adverse Impact of Climate Changes
Publicerad: Friday, 18 December, 2009 - 16:21Etiketter: EnvironmentSpeakers at a workshop here have said that the industrialized and rich nations must compensate Bangladesh adequately to help the country cope with the adverse impact of alarming climate change /world.brunei.fm.Läs mer -
U.S. joins $3.5 bln scheme to fight deforestation
Publicerad: Friday, 18 December, 2009 - 10:31Etiketter: EnvironmentThe United States has pledged $1 billion as part of a $3.5 billion scheme as initial financing toward slowing deforestation, a major contributor to climate change, a U.S. government statement said on Wednesday /climateark.orgLäs mer -
Chile’s Central Valley Forests Decrease In Size By One Third Since 1975
Publicerad: Thursday, 17 December, 2009 - 12:04Etiketter: EnvironmentA study of satellite images released this week confirmed a 38 percent decrease in Central Valley forest cover between 1975 and 2008 /santiagotimes.clLäs mer -
REDD alert over draft deforestation text
Publicerad: Wednesday, 16 December, 2009 - 16:41Etiketter: EnvironmentThe leaked draft of a treaty that aims to reduce the CO2 emissions from burning forests has left campaigners disappointedLäs mer -
Alarm over reverse on REDD
Publicerad: Monday, 14 December, 2009 - 09:09Etiketter: EnvironmentMajor concern has arisen in the global forestry community over the apparent weakening of a forest protection agreement that would form part of the overall UN climate treaty being thrashed out in Copenhagen carbonpositive.net.Läs mer -
Destruction of old-growth forests looms over climate talks
Publicerad: Wednesday, 9 December, 2009 - 17:07Etiketter: EnvironmentDestruction of old-growth or primary forests looms large in discussions in Copenhagen over a scheme to compensate tropical countries for reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD) /news.mongabay.com.Läs mer -
NZ seeks forestry rule change at climate summit
Publicerad: Monday, 7 December, 2009 - 12:08Etiketter: EnvironmentNew Zealand's negotiators will be seeking rule changes on forestry at the international summit on climate change in Copenhagen /radionz.co.nz.Läs mer -
Environmentalists doubt green forestry claim
Publicerad: Friday, 4 December, 2009 - 14:04Etiketter: EnvironmentNova Scotia environmentalists are questioning a so-called "green" forestry certification they say allows pulp and paper companies to practice clearcutting and whole-tree harvesting /thechronicleherald.ca.Läs mer