Public policy

We aim to be a constructive conversational partner for policymakers in Sweden, other countries, the EU and globally. We offer expertise and documented facts to inform about the consequences of various policy measures affecting the forest sector.

SCA plays an active role in public consultations, public inquiries and public consultations on legislation and policy initiatives that affect the forest industry. We collaborate with industry associations, trade associations and member associations at local, national and international levels. We also maintain contact with authorities and other organizations. We work continuously to monitor and evaluate policy proposals and regulatory changes that affect the competitiveness of the forest industry and the industry’s opportunities to contribute to the green transition.

SCA is a member of the following industry associations: Swedish Forest Industries, Svebio, the Swedish Wind Energy Association, Cepi and Bioenergy Europe.

Climate

Limiting global warming is one of the greatest challenges of our time and the forest industry is part of the solution. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change concludes that there are two directions to save the climate: to increase storage of carbon and to reduce fossil-fuel emissions. The forest industry is contributing to both.

The forest binds large amounts of CO₂ when it grows, and since the harvest rate in Sweden is lower than forest growth, the carbon stock is increasing. The trees that are harvested have major climate benefits, because forest products are used to replace fossil-intensive products such as plastic and concrete, as well as fossil energy. In this way, the use of oil and coal can be phased out. A third climate benefit is that forest products continue to store carbon throughout their entire life cycle. 

It is important that policymakers consider the climate benefits of forests as a whole, and account for carbon storage in the forest, carbon storage in the forest industry’s products and the emissions that can be avoided when fossil-intensive products are replaced by bio-based alternatives. A high rate of forest growth and good access to wood raw material are two factors that are crucial to achieving a fossil-free world.

SCA supports the Paris Agreement and the goal to limit global warming to 1.5°C. We also support the EU’s ambition to reduce GHG emissions by at least 55% by 2030. 

Biodiversity

SCA’s forests provide a home for a wide variety of flora and fauna – species that we want to continue living there in the future. We constantly endeavor to make our nature conservation activities even more effective and in addition to the considerations we take in all of our measures, we use targeted initiatives to preserve and promote biodiversity.

SCA welcomes the global biodiversity targets. We agree that it requires hard work to restore damaged or destroyed natural habitats. We also believe that Sweden should continue to maintain its high ambitions for biodiversity.  

In order to work with these issues constructively, the EU and other bodies need to decide on a standard for measuring and reporting damaged natural habitats, for example, and for areas of nature that have been set aside to protect biodiversity. At present, there is a great deal of variation in the methods used by different countries to measure and report. 
We also strive to raise awareness of the fact that forest management and biodiversity conservation do not conflict with each other. High production of valuable renewable raw material can be combined with extensive consideration for the other values provided by forests.  

SCA works continuously to raise knowledge of how biodiversity can best be promoted. We also support research in the field by serving as land hosts, for example, and contributing working hours. We support the Trees For Me research program, which includes projects focused on fast-growing broadleaf trees and on biodiversity.