Pub Date : 2025-11-08DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103661
Lena Partzsch
The European Union (EU) has recently adopted several supply chain laws. The 2023 EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the 2024 Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) are still the subject of fierce debate. This article examines the extent to which the new legislation complements, or even falls short of, existing voluntary sustainability standards (VSS). The focus is on the two affected commodities with the highest share of certified sustainable production, cocoa (41.8 %) and coffee (24.7 %). Using an analytical framework of scope, process and enforceability, I compare EUDR and CSDDD with the most widely used certification initiatives, Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade International, for cocoa and coffee. The results show that the public legislation is more stringent than the VSS in some aspects, in particular, reporting (procedure) and supervision (enforcement). Nevertheless, other aspects of the new legislation are already addressed by the VSS and implementation of the laws would provide first-mover advantages to certified companies. It is thus in their interest to weaken the public legislation but not to abolish it.
{"title":"Hardening sustainability: Supply chain laws complement cocoa and coffee certifications","authors":"Lena Partzsch","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103661","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103661","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The European Union (EU) has recently adopted several supply chain laws. The 2023 EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the 2024 Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) are still the subject of fierce debate. This article examines the extent to which the new legislation complements, or even falls short of, existing voluntary sustainability standards (VSS). The focus is on the two affected commodities with the highest share of certified sustainable production, cocoa (41.8 %) and coffee (24.7 %). Using an analytical framework of scope, process and enforceability, I compare EUDR and CSDDD with the most widely used certification initiatives, Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade International, for cocoa and coffee. The results show that the public legislation is more stringent than the VSS in some aspects, in particular, reporting (procedure) and supervision (enforcement). Nevertheless, other aspects of the new legislation are already addressed by the VSS and implementation of the laws would provide first-mover advantages to certified companies. It is thus in their interest to weaken the public legislation but not to abolish it.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 103661"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145461654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-08DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103663
Oliver Truffer , Eva Lieberherr , Kato Van Ruymbeke , Costanza Chimisso , Tim Rowe , Liesbet Vranken , Tamaki Ohmura
Research on forest ecosystems is abundant, yet the societal needs for forest ecosystem services (FES) remains less examined. Understanding these needs—especially across different societal actors—offers a promising path to ease pressure on the provision of forest ecosystem services and navigate the goal conflicts of forest policy under the EU Green Deal. Using a semi-systematic literature review, we categorize the existing research on the need for forest ecosystem services within distinct European forestry paradigms and investigate how well the literature covers each service and actor type. In 107 assessed articles, we find that cultural ecosystem services are researched most prominently while provisioning services are addressed the least. While the literature in our corpus is inclined towards recreationists and the public, crucial actors such as forest owners or forest managers are examined seldomly. Furthermore, we find several articles that assess the synergies and conflicts fostered by different management approaches. We connect this finding to a qualitative mismatch between the need for forest ecosystem services described in the literature and the provision of these services that is shaped by different ideas on sustainable forest management. By highlighting gaps and shortcomings in the literature we set the stage for future research on the need for forest ecosystem services.
{"title":"Mapping the research of Forest ecosystem Services in Europe: A review","authors":"Oliver Truffer , Eva Lieberherr , Kato Van Ruymbeke , Costanza Chimisso , Tim Rowe , Liesbet Vranken , Tamaki Ohmura","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103663","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103663","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Research on forest ecosystems is abundant, yet the societal needs for forest ecosystem services (FES) remains less examined. Understanding these needs—especially across different societal actors—offers a promising path to ease pressure on the provision of forest ecosystem services and navigate the goal conflicts of forest policy under the EU Green Deal. Using a semi-systematic literature review, we categorize the existing research on the need for forest ecosystem services within distinct European forestry paradigms and investigate how well the literature covers each service and actor type. In 107 assessed articles, we find that cultural ecosystem services are researched most prominently while provisioning services are addressed the least. While the literature in our corpus is inclined towards recreationists and the public, crucial actors such as forest owners or forest managers are examined seldomly. Furthermore, we find several articles that assess the synergies and conflicts fostered by different management approaches. We connect this finding to a qualitative mismatch between the need for forest ecosystem services described in the literature and the provision of these services that is shaped by different ideas on sustainable forest management. By highlighting gaps and shortcomings in the literature we set the stage for future research on the need for forest ecosystem services.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 103663"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145461655","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-03DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103641
Tiina Piiroinen, Minna Pappila, Anna Ott
This study investigates the revision of the PEFC forest certification standard, a multi-stakeholder process, using the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF). It addresses changes in the standard's ecological criteria and the factors affecting them. Ten members of the standard working group were interviewed, supported by a document review. Three advocacy coalitions—forestry, environmental, and social— were identified, contrasting with prior studies on Finnish forest policy. The forestry coalition outnumbered the other two coalitions in their policy-relevant resources. Decision-making authority and opportunities for equal participation were perceived as weak by the others. It had sufficient resources to invest in strong participation, access to information and skilful leadership. The historical dominance of the forestry coalition when it comes to Finnish forest policy persisted, and the revision process indicated a lack of trust and a divide between coalitions. Dissatisfaction with the ecological criteria led to the withdrawal of the environmental coalition representatives from the standard working group. Changes in the ecological criteria between 2014 and 2022 were minor, despite the urgent need to reverse impairments from previous updates of the standard. The influence of ecological science on the revision was weak. Attempts to weaken criteria on old-growth forests were observed, raising questions about the forestry coalition's commitment to biodiversity protection. The level of environmental, social, and economic sustainability in PEFC standards were largely determined by the forestry coalition.
{"title":"Conflicting interests in the standard setting process of the PEFC forest certification scheme in Finland","authors":"Tiina Piiroinen, Minna Pappila, Anna Ott","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103641","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103641","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the revision of the PEFC forest certification standard, a multi-stakeholder process, using the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF). It addresses changes in the standard's ecological criteria and the factors affecting them. Ten members of the standard working group were interviewed, supported by a document review. Three advocacy coalitions—forestry, environmental, and social— were identified, contrasting with prior studies on Finnish forest policy. The forestry coalition outnumbered the other two coalitions in their policy-relevant resources. Decision-making authority and opportunities for equal participation were perceived as weak by the others. It had sufficient resources to invest in strong participation, access to information and skilful leadership. The historical dominance of the forestry coalition when it comes to Finnish forest policy persisted, and the revision process indicated a lack of trust and a divide between coalitions. Dissatisfaction with the ecological criteria led to the withdrawal of the environmental coalition representatives from the standard working group. Changes in the ecological criteria between 2014 and 2022 were minor, despite the urgent need to reverse impairments from previous updates of the standard. The influence of ecological science on the revision was weak. Attempts to weaken criteria on old-growth forests were observed, raising questions about the forestry coalition's commitment to biodiversity protection. The level of environmental, social, and economic sustainability in PEFC standards were largely determined by the forestry coalition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 103641"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145434487","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-03DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103660
Jan Alpenberg , Frida Hansson , Lotten Svensson , Tomasz Wnuk-Pel
This study examines how Swedish forest industry firms assess capital investments by integrating financial and non-financial considerations. Based on in-depth interviews with senior managers from ten forest companies, this qualitative approach identifies a multidimensional evaluation approach that incorporates strategic, environmental, and social aspects alongside conventional financial metrics. The findings reveal that investment decisions are influenced not only by economic rationale but also by behavioral factors such as cognitive biases and perceived risk, providing empirical support for Prospect Theory in an industry-specific context. The study contributes to the literature by proposing an integrated capital investment assessment framework, highlighting the need for holistic, context-sensitive decision models in sectors with strong environmental and stakeholder interdependencies.
{"title":"Beyond financial metrics: An integrated framework for capital investment decisions in the Swedish forest industry","authors":"Jan Alpenberg , Frida Hansson , Lotten Svensson , Tomasz Wnuk-Pel","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103660","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103660","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study examines how Swedish forest industry firms assess capital investments by integrating financial and non-financial considerations. Based on in-depth interviews with senior managers from ten forest companies, this qualitative approach identifies a multidimensional evaluation approach that incorporates strategic, environmental, and social aspects alongside conventional financial metrics. The findings reveal that investment decisions are influenced not only by economic rationale but also by behavioral factors such as cognitive biases and perceived risk, providing empirical support for Prospect Theory in an industry-specific context. The study contributes to the literature by proposing an integrated capital investment assessment framework, highlighting the need for holistic, context-sensitive decision models in sectors with strong environmental and stakeholder interdependencies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 103660"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145435040","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-01DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103658
Jorge F. Montenegro , Midhun Mohan , Ewane Basil Ewane , Daniel A. Friess , Pandi P. Selvam , Abhilash Dutta Roy , Aaron Althauser , Jacob Tidwell , Julieta Gamboa-Cutz , Caileigh Shoot , Michael S. Watt , Peter I. Macreadie , Daria Agnieszka Karpowicz , Nipuni Perera , Trisha Atwood , Mark Chatting , John A. Burt , Susantha Udagedara , Ian Hendy , Carlos López-Martínez , Daniel M. Alongi
Blue carbon ecosystems are among the largest carbon sinks in the world, with significant potential for carbon sequestration in their biomass, soils and sediments. Blue carbon credits offer companies the opportunity to offset their residual carbon emissions and achieve their carbon neutrality commitments. Mangrove-based carbon market projects (MbCMP) contribute greatly to the global supply of blue carbon credits in the voluntary carbon market (VCM). Thus, the current trends, challenges and opportunities intrinsic to MbCMP development, implementation and management need to be assessed on a global scale. We conducted a comprehensive systematic review and retrieved 260 articles, including 84 peer-reviewed articles and 176 gray literature from Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Google searches, from January 2010 to December 2024. In addition, we explored the databases of carbon certification standard registries to obtain up-to-date information of MbCMP. We present the results and discuss insights grouped into the following categories: (i) geographic distribution and current status of MbCMP, (ii) trends in development and growth, (iii) challenges faced, and (iv) proposed solutions to improve the quality and integrity of MbCMP. The recommendations include: (a) improving transparency and governance, (b) advancing risk management and adaptation, (c) building scientific and technical skills of stakeholders, (d) enhancing capacity building, community engagement and knowledge sharing, (e) strengthening policy support and institutions, (f) upscaling projects, (g) protecting complex and insecure land tenure systems, (h) safeguarding financial resources and equitable sharing of benefits, and (i) increasing accuracy of monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) data. Although significant challenges remain, the reduction in global mangrove loss, driven by recent improvements in conservation, protection and restoration initiatives, provides immense optimism for the growth and sustainability of the MbCMP sector with true benefits in terms of climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.
蓝碳生态系统是世界上最大的碳汇之一，在其生物量、土壤和沉积物中具有巨大的固碳潜力。蓝色碳信用额度为企业提供了抵消其剩余碳排放并实现碳中和承诺的机会。基于红树林的碳市场项目（MbCMP）为自愿碳市场（VCM）的全球蓝色碳信用额供应做出了巨大贡献。因此，需要在全球范围内评估MbCMP开发、实施和管理所固有的当前趋势、挑战和机遇。2010年1月至2024年12月，我们从Scopus、Web of Science、谷歌Scholar和谷歌检索中检索了260篇文献，其中同行评议论文84篇，灰色文献176篇。此外，我们还探索了碳认证标准注册数据库，以获取MbCMP的最新信息。我们展示了结果并讨论了以下几类见解：(i) MbCMP的地理分布和现状，（ii）发展和增长的趋势，（iii）面临的挑战，以及（iv）提出的提高MbCMP质量和完整性的解决方案。建议包括：(a)提高透明度和治理，(b)推进风险管理和适应，(c)培养利益相关者的科学和技术技能，(d)加强能力建设，社区参与和知识共享，(e)加强政策支持和制度，(f)扩大项目规模，(g)保护复杂和不安全的土地权属制度，(h)保障财政资源和公平分享利益，以及(i)提高监测的准确性，报告和验证（MRV）数据。尽管仍然存在重大挑战，但由于最近在养护、保护和恢复方面的举措有所改善，全球红树林损失有所减少，这为红树林管理部门的增长和可持续性带来了巨大的乐观情绪，并在减缓气候变化和保护生物多样性方面带来了真正的好处。
{"title":"Mangrove-based carbon market projects: Current trends and future perspectives","authors":"Jorge F. Montenegro , Midhun Mohan , Ewane Basil Ewane , Daniel A. Friess , Pandi P. Selvam , Abhilash Dutta Roy , Aaron Althauser , Jacob Tidwell , Julieta Gamboa-Cutz , Caileigh Shoot , Michael S. Watt , Peter I. Macreadie , Daria Agnieszka Karpowicz , Nipuni Perera , Trisha Atwood , Mark Chatting , John A. Burt , Susantha Udagedara , Ian Hendy , Carlos López-Martínez , Daniel M. Alongi","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103658","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103658","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Blue carbon ecosystems are among the largest carbon sinks in the world, with significant potential for carbon sequestration in their biomass, soils and sediments. Blue carbon credits offer companies the opportunity to offset their residual carbon emissions and achieve their carbon neutrality commitments. Mangrove-based carbon market projects (MbCMP) contribute greatly to the global supply of blue carbon credits in the voluntary carbon market (VCM). Thus, the current trends, challenges and opportunities intrinsic to MbCMP development, implementation and management need to be assessed on a global scale. We conducted a comprehensive systematic review and retrieved 260 articles, including 84 peer-reviewed articles and 176 gray literature from Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Google searches, from January 2010 to December 2024. In addition, we explored the databases of carbon certification standard registries to obtain up-to-date information of MbCMP. We present the results and discuss insights grouped into the following categories: (i) geographic distribution and current status of MbCMP, (ii) trends in development and growth, (iii) challenges faced, and (iv) proposed solutions to improve the quality and integrity of MbCMP. The recommendations include: (a) improving transparency and governance, (b) advancing risk management and adaptation, (c) building scientific and technical skills of stakeholders, (d) enhancing capacity building, community engagement and knowledge sharing, (e) strengthening policy support and institutions, (f) upscaling projects, (g) protecting complex and insecure land tenure systems, (h) safeguarding financial resources and equitable sharing of benefits, and (i) increasing accuracy of monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) data. Although significant challenges remain, the reduction in global mangrove loss, driven by recent improvements in conservation, protection and restoration initiatives, provides immense optimism for the growth and sustainability of the MbCMP sector with true benefits in terms of climate change mitigation and biodiversity conservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 103658"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145423996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-30DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103659
Gabriel Browne de Deus Ribeiro , Sebastião Renato Valverde , Angélica de Cássia Oliveira Carneiro , Márcio Lopes da Silva , Gleison Augusto dos Santos
Bioenergy is widely recognized as a cornerstone of global energy transition strategies. In Brazil, charcoal represents a critical renewable energy source, largely supplied by small and medium-sized forest producers (SMFP) who often operate with limited financial planning and restricted policy support. Unlike previous studies that have focused on technical efficiency or environmental aspects, this paper pioneers a financial decision-support framework explicitly tailored to SMFP. Using primary data from producers in Minas Gerais, Brazil, seven strategic scenarios were modeled – including coppicing, sharecropping, rural credit, legal formalization, and surplus cash reinvestment – through discounted cash flow analysis and a SWOT-based policy assessment. Results show that coppicing and credit-financed strategies deliver the highest profitability, while sharecropping alternatives reduce risk and capital requirements, offering inclusive options for undercapitalized producers. Reinvestment of surplus cash flows into low-risk financial products significantly enhanced returns and resilience, even under adverse conditions. A SWOT-based policy analysis highlights opportunities to improve rural credit access, simplify formalization, and promote financial inclusion, and concludes with five key policy takeaways to guide inclusive, effective, and sustainable bioenergy development. Overall, the findings underscore the need for tailored financial instruments and fiscal incentives that encourage legal formalization. By integrating financial planning into bioenergy policies, this study provides actionable pathways to strengthen rural livelihoods and advance low-carbon bioeconomies in Brazil and other emerging markets.
{"title":"Strategic financial decision-making for forest bioenergy: investment scenarios and policy insights for charcoal enterprises in Brazil","authors":"Gabriel Browne de Deus Ribeiro , Sebastião Renato Valverde , Angélica de Cássia Oliveira Carneiro , Márcio Lopes da Silva , Gleison Augusto dos Santos","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103659","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103659","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bioenergy is widely recognized as a cornerstone of global energy transition strategies. In Brazil, charcoal represents a critical renewable energy source, largely supplied by small and medium-sized forest producers (SMFP) who often operate with limited financial planning and restricted policy support. Unlike previous studies that have focused on technical efficiency or environmental aspects, this paper pioneers a financial decision-support framework explicitly tailored to SMFP. Using primary data from producers in Minas Gerais, Brazil, seven strategic scenarios were modeled – including coppicing, sharecropping, rural credit, legal formalization, and surplus cash reinvestment – through discounted cash flow analysis and a SWOT-based policy assessment. Results show that coppicing and credit-financed strategies deliver the highest profitability, while sharecropping alternatives reduce risk and capital requirements, offering inclusive options for undercapitalized producers. Reinvestment of surplus cash flows into low-risk financial products significantly enhanced returns and resilience, even under adverse conditions. A SWOT-based policy analysis highlights opportunities to improve rural credit access, simplify formalization, and promote financial inclusion, and concludes with five key policy takeaways to guide inclusive, effective, and sustainable bioenergy development. Overall, the findings underscore the need for tailored financial instruments and fiscal incentives that encourage legal formalization. By integrating financial planning into bioenergy policies, this study provides actionable pathways to strengthen rural livelihoods and advance low-carbon bioeconomies in Brazil and other emerging markets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 103659"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145396623","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-30DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103657
Daniel Bergquist , Elvira Caselunghe , Gustaf Egnell , Johnny de Jong
The objective of this study is to investigate the criticism against forest-based bioenergy. It is based on a qualitative study and provides a comprehensive understanding of critical attitudes towards forest-based bioenergy among environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) in Europe. Through semi-structured interviews with 12 representatives from Swedish and European ENGOs a frame analysis was done. The analysis shows how these respondents conceptualize challenges related to forest-based bioenergy, what processes that underpin these views and what concrete solutions the respondents suggest to the risks they perceive. Frames refer to what arguments the respondents use to justify their opinions and conclusions, whereas framing is the process of applying their frames to situations. The analysis also accounts for system boundaries set among the respondents, since that influences their problem definitions and conclusions. The ENGO representatives reported rigorous and profound criticism of forest-based bioenergy and, not the least, of current forestry practices in general. Also, respondents within the same ENGO differed in approach to forest-based bioenergy, which suggests that individual characteristics need consideration for dialogue to be constructive. Lack of trust was identified as one major obstacle for constructive dialogue. Understanding the socio-personal factors and diversity in perspectives behind forest-based bioenergy criticism is crucial for development that is socially acceptable. To this end, policy processes need to involve facilitation and well-designed dialogue processes oriented towards mutual learning, where actors are invited early and allowed to engage in the very problem definition. Crucial is also to maintain continuity among the participants. To get a complete picture of the discourse on forest-based bioenergy a similar analysis of proponents would complement this study.
{"title":"Frame analysis of attitudes towards forest-based bioenergy in Europe: Exploring the criticism to improved dialogue","authors":"Daniel Bergquist , Elvira Caselunghe , Gustaf Egnell , Johnny de Jong","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103657","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103657","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The objective of this study is to investigate the criticism against forest-based bioenergy. It is based on a qualitative study and provides a comprehensive understanding of critical attitudes towards forest-based bioenergy among environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) in Europe. Through semi-structured interviews with 12 representatives from Swedish and European ENGOs a frame analysis was done. The analysis shows how these respondents conceptualize challenges related to forest-based bioenergy, what processes that underpin these views and what concrete solutions the respondents suggest to the risks they perceive. Frames refer to what arguments the respondents use to justify their opinions and conclusions, whereas framing is the process of applying their frames to situations. The analysis also accounts for system boundaries set among the respondents, since that influences their problem definitions and conclusions. The ENGO representatives reported rigorous and profound criticism of forest-based bioenergy and, not the least, of current forestry practices in general. Also, respondents within the same ENGO differed in approach to forest-based bioenergy, which suggests that individual characteristics need consideration for dialogue to be constructive. Lack of trust was identified as one major obstacle for constructive dialogue. Understanding the socio-personal factors and diversity in perspectives behind forest-based bioenergy criticism is crucial for development that is socially acceptable. To this end, policy processes need to involve facilitation and well-designed dialogue processes oriented towards mutual learning, where actors are invited early and allowed to engage in the very problem definition. Crucial is also to maintain continuity among the participants. To get a complete picture of the discourse on forest-based bioenergy a similar analysis of proponents would complement this study.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 103657"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145396622","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-29DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103655
Ting Ma , Linsheng Zhong , J. Marc Foggin , Peng Wang
Integrated forest landscape management is indispensably crucial for forest utilization, conservation, poverty alleviation, and the attainment of social equity. Understanding the direct impact of local stakeholders' policy perceptions on forest co-management (FCM) behavior plays a significant role in the success of the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin (YTRB) forest conservation efforts in Tibet, China. The study applied the extended theory of planned behavior and structural equation modeling to analyze this impact. A questionnaire and focus groups were administered among stakeholders to assess how their policy perceptions influenced FCM behavior.
Results show that FCM intentions and behaviors are significantly influenced by FCM policy, attitudes, subjective norms, past behavior, and sense of belonging, with FCM policy being the most critical factor, affecting intentions and behaviors both directly and indirectly. Additionally, a sense of belonging positively mediates the relationships between attitudes, past behavior, intention, and behavior. The study further reveals that 67 % of stakeholders perceive policy effectiveness positively, while 45 % express concerns about implementation challenges. Independent t-test and ANOVA results show that women and older residents exhibit more skepticism toward FCM policy, negatively affecting their intentions. Enhancing awareness of FCM policy among stakeholders, strengthening their sense of belonging, and addressing the concerns of marginalized groups are crucial for promoting FCM. The study suggests an inclusive conservation governance model that prioritizes joint deliberations and decision-making among diverse stakeholders over externally developed programs. This research underscores the importance of FCM and an inclusive governance model in effective forest management and conservation, offering insights that can inform FCM initiatives.
{"title":"Policy perceptions and local stakeholder engagement in forest co-management in the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin, China","authors":"Ting Ma , Linsheng Zhong , J. Marc Foggin , Peng Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103655","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103655","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Integrated forest landscape management is indispensably crucial for forest utilization, conservation, poverty alleviation, and the attainment of social equity. Understanding the direct impact of local stakeholders' policy perceptions on forest co-management (FCM) behavior plays a significant role in the success of the Yarlung Tsangpo River Basin (YTRB) forest conservation efforts in Tibet, China. The study applied the extended theory of planned behavior and structural equation modeling to analyze this impact. A questionnaire and focus groups were administered among stakeholders to assess how their policy perceptions influenced FCM behavior.</div><div>Results show that FCM intentions and behaviors are significantly influenced by FCM policy, attitudes, subjective norms, past behavior, and sense of belonging, with FCM policy being the most critical factor, affecting intentions and behaviors both directly and indirectly. Additionally, a sense of belonging positively mediates the relationships between attitudes, past behavior, intention, and behavior. The study further reveals that 67 % of stakeholders perceive policy effectiveness positively, while 45 % express concerns about implementation challenges. Independent <em>t</em>-test and ANOVA results show that women and older residents exhibit more skepticism toward FCM policy, negatively affecting their intentions. Enhancing awareness of FCM policy among stakeholders, strengthening their sense of belonging, and addressing the concerns of marginalized groups are crucial for promoting FCM. The study suggests an inclusive conservation governance model that prioritizes joint deliberations and decision-making among diverse stakeholders over externally developed programs. This research underscores the importance of FCM and an inclusive governance model in effective forest management and conservation, offering insights that can inform FCM initiatives.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 103655"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145383519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-24DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103652
M. Pecurul-Botines , A. Giurca , H. Pülzl , K. Niedzialkowski , M. Brockhaus , L. Bouriaud , V. Brukas , S. Hajtmarova , M.A. Hoogstra-Klein , A. Konczal , L. Marcinekova , K. Øistad , Š. Pezdevšek Malovrh , N. Pietarinen , L. Secco , J.-L. Roux , B. Wolfslehner , G. Winkel
Conflicts have arisen between Member States and the European Commission around the European Union Forest Strategy either because of differing opinions on whether forests should be considered as a commodity, as nature to be conserved, or because of disagreements about the EU's competencies vis-à-vis national sovereignty of forests. These conflicts highlight high and diverging stakes in the EU's governance of forest ecosystems. At the national level, impending changes related to EU regulations impact the forest-based sector and its governance, including monitoring and access to finance. Despite not being legally binding, the EU Forest Strategy is significantly influencing national policies within the broader EU political framework. To what extent this new strategy exacerbates existing conflicts or shapes new ones is not well understood. The main objective of this study is to understand whether and how conflicts and different policy prioritization may influence the implementation of this key EU Strategy at the national level. Theoretically, this study draws on Europeanization studies to understand how different forest-related conflicts are connected to attempts to integrate European forest policy at the EU level. Empirically, an analysis of policy documents and interviews with policy experts in 15 European countries was conducted. Our analysis provides a rich overview of the extent to which diverse national policy developments align with the EU Forest Strategy goals and how these developments connect to existing or newly emerging conflicts around the Strategy's implementation. Based on these insights, we suggest potential ways to overcome the challenges and advance forest policy in Europe.
{"title":"Conflicts and policy priorities drive differences in the EU Forest strategy implementation: Insights from 15 European countries","authors":"M. Pecurul-Botines , A. Giurca , H. Pülzl , K. Niedzialkowski , M. Brockhaus , L. Bouriaud , V. Brukas , S. Hajtmarova , M.A. Hoogstra-Klein , A. Konczal , L. Marcinekova , K. Øistad , Š. Pezdevšek Malovrh , N. Pietarinen , L. Secco , J.-L. Roux , B. Wolfslehner , G. Winkel","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103652","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103652","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Conflicts have arisen between Member States and the European Commission around the European Union Forest Strategy either because of differing opinions on whether forests should be considered as a commodity, as nature to be conserved, or because of disagreements about the EU's competencies vis-à-vis national sovereignty of forests. These conflicts highlight high and diverging stakes in the EU's governance of forest ecosystems. At the national level, impending changes related to EU regulations impact the forest-based sector and its governance, including monitoring and access to finance. Despite not being legally binding, the EU Forest Strategy is significantly influencing national policies within the broader EU political framework. To what extent this new strategy exacerbates existing conflicts or shapes new ones is not well understood. The main objective of this study is to understand whether and how conflicts and different policy prioritization may influence the implementation of this key EU Strategy at the national level. Theoretically, this study draws on Europeanization studies to understand how different forest-related conflicts are connected to attempts to integrate European forest policy at the EU level. Empirically, an analysis of policy documents and interviews with policy experts in 15 European countries was conducted. Our analysis provides a rich overview of the extent to which diverse national policy developments align with the EU Forest Strategy goals and how these developments connect to existing or newly emerging conflicts around the Strategy's implementation. Based on these insights, we suggest potential ways to overcome the challenges and advance forest policy in Europe.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 103652"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145359232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-17DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103588
Mindy S. Crandall , Liam Resener , Susan Charnley , Jeff Vance Martin , Julia Mycek
U.S. laws and policies have implicitly and explicitly sought to use forests to benefit the nation and adjacent rural communities through a social contract, whereby forest harvest supports community stability. However, the forest industry in the Pacific Northwest experienced a supply shock in the 1990s with the reduction in federal harvest and the creation of the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP), which occurred against a backdrop of changing investments across the forest and broader manufacturing industries. This study gathers, queries, and analyzes data from multiple sources to examine how industrial geographies of timber production and processing have shifted over the last 50 years in the region with attention to outcomes in rural areas. We compare harvest, employment, and mills across rural, urban, and urbanizing counties. Steep declines in harvest occurred in rural counties, while gradual declines in numbers of sawmills coincided with location shifts to more urban or urbanizing counties. Rural and urbanizing counties remain more economically reliant on the forestry sector, but the industry today is more connected with the land base in rural areas through harvesting, and more connected with urban areas for processing. We conclude that the story of the Pacific Northwest timber economy is as much, if not more, a story of capitalist political economy as it is one of environmental regulation. Our findings raise questions about the feasibility of the social contract as well as the adequacy of the workforce and infrastructure needed to support urgent wildfire risk reduction activities on federal forestlands.
{"title":"Shifting industrial geographies of timber production and processing in the Pacific Northwest","authors":"Mindy S. Crandall , Liam Resener , Susan Charnley , Jeff Vance Martin , Julia Mycek","doi":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103588","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103588","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>U.S. laws and policies have implicitly and explicitly sought to use forests to benefit the nation and adjacent rural communities through a social contract, whereby forest harvest supports community stability. However, the forest industry in the Pacific Northwest experienced a supply shock in the 1990s with the reduction in federal harvest and the creation of the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP), which occurred against a backdrop of changing investments across the forest and broader manufacturing industries. This study gathers, queries, and analyzes data from multiple sources to examine how industrial geographies of timber production and processing have shifted over the last 50 years in the region with attention to outcomes in rural areas. We compare harvest, employment, and mills across rural, urban, and urbanizing counties. Steep declines in harvest occurred in rural counties, while gradual declines in numbers of sawmills coincided with location shifts to more urban or urbanizing counties. Rural and urbanizing counties remain more economically reliant on the forestry sector, but the industry today is more connected with the land base in rural areas through harvesting, and more connected with urban areas for processing. We conclude that the story of the Pacific Northwest timber economy is as much, if not more, a story of capitalist political economy as it is one of environmental regulation. Our findings raise questions about the feasibility of the social contract as well as the adequacy of the workforce and infrastructure needed to support urgent wildfire risk reduction activities on federal forestlands.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12451,"journal":{"name":"Forest Policy and Economics","volume":"181 ","pages":"Article 103588"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145334192","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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