The Senate urges the Government to strengthen and support the Forestry Sector

• The forestry sector is key to tackle climate change and for climate action strategy
• Climate-KIC Spain has joined the “Juntos por los Bosques” Platform to support and promote innovation in this sector.

Last year Climate KIC Spain started some conversations and meetings with the Professional Association of Forestry Engineers in Spain, and other stakeholders in the forestry sector. After successful meetings it was agreed to strength the cooperation, and Climate KIC Spain was invited to be member of the biggest Cluster of forestry sector in Spain “Juntos por los Bosques” (Together for the Forests).

Climate KIC Spain was invited to participate in a Seminar about the “Spanish Forestal Strategy 2017-20” in Valladolid, on the occasion of International Day of Forests on 21st March, with all the key national actors of the sector. As results of this successful strategic seminar, was announced the launch of the National Forest Council, with the involvement of the Spanish National and Regional Governments and the forestry sector.

On that day was announced the launch of the National Forest Council, with the involvement of the Spanish Regional Governments and the forestry sector, where next June will begin a working group to develop a Forest Action Plan, which is wanted to be finished before the end of the legislature. This matter has been urged to the Ministry to commit and carry it out as soon as possible, to encourage more employment and greater sustainability of the forests.

Likewise, the Forestry Strategic Agenda was presented for the next 3 years, with its challenges and priorities.

In the “Juntos por los Bosques” (“Together for the Forests”) platform, the voices of more than 30 representative entities of the Spanish forest sector are combined. The Spanish forestry entities have come together to draw up a summary of what our forests represent, the wealth that in many ways can contribute to society and to define a proposal of five key points of action for the first hundred days of government that will be sent to all political formations with parliamentary representation and to Minister Isabel García Tejerina, MAPAMA (Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment), among others.

In this sense, ” Juntos por los Bosques” has drawn up at the proposal of the PP, a motion to the Senate, which was approved unanimously by the Upper House on Wednesday, May 10, to urge the Government to carry out an adequate forest management in Spain by committing itself to the following:

• To develop a Forest Action Plan.
• To include within the Plan certain actions that lead to the following objectives: forest hydrological restoration, protection against pests and forest diseases, economic and tax incentives for forestry, improve information systems, establish lines of support for forest innovation R+ D, link the forestry strategy to rural population recovery and job creation, promote biodiversity and regeneration capacity.
• To Include the forestry sector within an Agriculture, Climate and Environment Strategy, in line with the Paris Agreements. Consideration of “forest” as a fundamental tool in the fight against climate change, rural depopulation or the future of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
• Criteria for the protection of natural spaces and the balance of environments and ecosystems.
• Review of the Spanish Forestry Plan to adapt it to the environmental requirements of a commitment to fight climate change.
• National Forest Council urges the government to have all sectors involved have representation.
• To give a predominant role to the management of the Spanish forest masses in the upcoming Draft Law on Climate Change and Energy Transition.

This unanimity of all parliamentary groups highlights the importance of having adequate forest management in Spain, where forests and associated forest land occupy 27 million hectares – 54 percent of the country’s land area. This area has increased at a rate of more than 180,000 ha / year in the last 25 years (the fastest pace in the EU) both by action (reforestation, afforestation of agricultural land) and by the spontaneous expansion of forests of rural abandonment.

The importance of strengthening research on new forest products, such as innovative biomaterials, biofuels from forest residues, or obtaining compost from residues should also be highlighted.

Forests are crucial in the fight against climate change as they are the only manageable sink. Beyond reducing its own emissions is the only sector that can offset those of others. Today, forest stock growth compensates for 20% of Spain’s total CO2 emissions, as well as significant additional climatic benefits for temporary storage thanks to the use of long-term forest products, particularly wood in construction, and by substitution of raw materials and non-renewable energies.

Wood and cork are the most widely available materials for the transition to bio-economy, capable of replacing non-renewable raw materials in the construction, chemical or energy industries. The use of forest-based biomass is a unique opportunity to reduce fire risk, create jobs, mitigate climate change and reduce external energy dependence.

Photo: Jose Plumed