Uldis Valainis
Do you not think that the new European Green Deal will wipe out FSC and PEFC certification? At least in Europe.
The Green Deal could indirectly, and perhaps predictably, even lead to an increase in the number of FSC and PEFC certified companies (both FM and CoC), as national-level requirements are likely to become stricter than the regulatory framework of FSC and PEFC regarding nature conservation requirements. Therefore, for certified companies, this will no longer create additional burdens or restrictions compared to non-certified companies. There are certain risks to the FSC and PEFC certification systems regarding plans for developing alternative forest certification systems in Europe; however, it must be noted that requirements regarding the demand for certified timber are determined by consumers who, in my understanding, will not be prepared to pay a higher price. Alternative forest certification systems will only be able to exist if the European Union subsidises such systems, because otherwise, they will not be able to ensure competitive prices for certified timber compared to the FSC and PEFC certification systems.
This question cannot be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no', as it depends on the degree to which the impact on climate change (and consequently the changes themselves) is not curbed. However, in our region, unlike, for example, Southern Europe, the impact would be relatively smaller and could be reduced by carrying out targeted adaptation measures, such as increasing resistance to storms (lower stand density, tended young stands, management based on target diameter, potential reduction in the spread of root rot and bark damage caused by ungulates, volume reduction) and increasing resistance to other negative factors by making wider use of planting material adapted to the future climate.
How do Silava scientists assess the forestry sector's ability to transfer research results into practice to achieve the sector's goals?
Scientists do not assess this ability; scientists promote this transfer by telling everyone willing to listen about research results and findings that can be used in practice. So far, on quite a number of issues, we have managed to find a receptive audience both at Latvijas valsts meži and among individual private forest owners who are happy to hear the results, for example, regarding regeneration by planting, selective breeding, small-scale forestry machinery, soil preparation in mounds, etc.