Estonian Forest a and W ood Industry Association Manager s (EMPL) m anager Jaak Nigul's ( Jaak Nigul ) response to the criticism from the head of the Estonian Fund for Nature ( Eestimaa Looduse Fond ) Tarmo Tüür ( Tarmo Tüür ) regarding overly intensive logging.

Carbon can be obtained "from underground and above ground"

Many aspects speak in favour of using underground carbon, as vast industrial sectors and supply chains have been built based on it. They make up a large part of the economy and, for example, in Estonia, fuel companies are among the largest taxpayers. Oil is not always bad. Apparently, it is a surprise to many a "friend of nature" that the carbon footprint of a plastic bag made from oil is significantly smaller than that of a cloth bag. The use of "underground resources" does not "catch the eye as much". How many readers of this article have seen with their own eyes a Siberian forest turned into an oil field, or the oil shale mines of Ida-Virumaa? And how many have seen clear-cuts by the side of the road? have seen clear-cuts?

Thirdly, companies that base their operations on fossil fuels often financially support environmental organizations to "redeem or save" themselves from active campaigners, or to protect their market share. For example, the Gazprom-funded environmental fund supports both the search for valuable habitats in Estonian forests and Estonian ornithologists.

Where does "carbon" come from and where does "money" come from?

Currently, in the world there exists one large, very complex problem. Thanks to exact natural sciences, people's worldview has become increasingly detailed, but linking individual details to what is happening in society is often only within the power of specialists. Science has provided much good, but the interrelationships of things are rarely as clear as between oil shale and a burning light bulb. Most people with higher education do not understand what carbon neutrality, gross domestic product, or the basis of the external trade balance means. However, thanks to social media, anyone who has managed to publish a post with more or fewer typos can call themselves an "expert". Since these people's understanding of the world is often quite simplified, they easily find followers. "Vaccination causes autism." "5G causes a virus." "Estonian forests will soon "run out"" (will be cut down). Statistics or the expertise of scientists in the relevant field are not important, but a photograph taken at the right angle and an emotional text are.

In a situation where a part of society operates at the level described above, it is likely that nothing can be changed. However, it is strange that people whose status indicates that their knowledge and understanding should certainly be more serious and broader, for some reason begin to join myths self-created by society.

Estonian nature conservation is "barking up the wrong tree"

The Green Deal as an opportunity

In just a couple of decades, a new forest will grow on current clear-cuts, which will store carbon. Underground oil will not renew itself so quickly, if it renews at all.

Carbon-neutral Estonia

Here we come to what was stated at the beginning of the article. Mankind needs resources for living. I do not believe that most of us would be ready to give up the comfort in which we live. Whether it be clothing, a house, or a vehicle. The big question: where will we take all these raw materials from?

Tens of millions of euros in dividends and payments to the state budget are only a small part of the RMK's place in the Estonian economy. In addition to offering environmentally friendly raw materials, RMK's wood supplies have an important place in Estonia's foreign trade balance, "exporting" about 1.5 billion euros more than importing. About 60,000 people are employed directly and indirectly, mostly in rural areas. Estonia actually lives off the forest, and from the forest, we receive the most "new" money.