To discuss the role of sustainable forest policy in shaping global trade policy in the context of achieving climate neutrality goals, Edmunds Beļskis, Chairman of the Council of Latvijas valsts meži (LVM), and Toms Reiziņš, member of the Board, met with Marion Jansen (Marion Jansen), Director of the Trade and Agriculture Directorate (TAD) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in Paris on 10 February. The meeting was also attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia to the OECD, Indulis Ābelis, advisor to the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Latvia, Aivars Lapiņš, and sector advisor to the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development of the Republic of Latvia, Jānis Glazkovs.

During the meeting, LVM presented its current forestry operations, which make a significant contribution to the expansion of international trade by ensuring predictable supply chains for customers and increasing the impact of selected tree seedlings on productivity.

“For Latvia and other OECD member states where boreal forests are prevalent, forestry plays a vital role in economic development. OECD representatives acknowledged that environmental ministries in member states have become particularly active in discussions concerning forestry, agriculture, and environmental issues. However, during the discussion, we received unequivocal confirmation that, in accordance with the OECD strategy, it is always essential to evaluate the economic benefits and losses in these matters. At present, the implementation of sustainable forest management, and consequently the provision of renewable energy, is being hampered by the all-encompassing policies of the 'Green Deal'. The OECD recognises that forest management and the processes occurring within forests have been neglected, with forests being taken for granted. Since the implementation of the forest seed programme, which was one of the first programmes under the auspices of the OECD in the implementation of the Marshall Plan in Europe, the focus on forests and the processes taking place within them has been lost,” says LVM Board member Toms Reiziņš regarding the discussions held during the meeting.

Applying a single approach to all member states without considering specific local geographical conditions, the actual state of biodiversity, and a country's potential to become climate-neutral may pose a risk to the successful implementation of sustainable forest policy. Furthermore, the OECD recommendations for Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD) set out three core principles for formulating sustainable policy, which emphasise the integration of the policy being developed. This means finding a compromise between economic benefits, social policy, and environmental policy.