Activities of Mazaly AGUILAR related to 2022/2016(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
New EU Forest Strategy for 2030 – Sustainable Forest Management in Europe (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on a new EU Forest Strategy for 2030 – Sustainable Forest Management in Europe
Amendments (21)
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas the TFEU makes no reference to a common EU forest policy and therefore forest policy remains at Member States' competence; whereas Article 4 TFEU provides for a shared competence on environmental policy; whereas due to the specificextremely high diversity of the EU’s forests with regard to bio-geography, structure, size, biodiversity and ownership patterns, where environmental policy touches upon forests, it is necessary to duly apply the principle of subsidiarity and proportionality in the development and implementation of the new EU forest strategy (the strategy) and relevant EU legislation;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas about 60 % of the EU’s forests are owned by 16 million private forest owners, of whom a significant share are small-holders; whereas involving and motivating these owners through a comprehensive policy and legislative framework, based on the recognition of their property rights, experience as managers and specific challenges, will be key to achieving the strategy’s targets, including the provision of climate and other ecosystem services; emphasizes the need to avoid administrational burden on all actors.
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas most recent data gathered under Article 17 of the Habitats Directive indicates that only 49 % of forests habitats have a good conservation status; whereas focusing solely on aggregated data might be insufficient to identify and address key information on the most urgent issues and it is therefore necessary to consult more specific indicators especially created by FOREST EUROPE, on trends in condition and pressures; whereas these indicators do not support an overall negative assessment of the state of the EU’s forests, but show both positive and negative trends that require nuanced responses;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Recognises that the maintenance and protection of healthy and resilient forests is a fundamental goal of all actors in forestry and the forest-based value chain, including the various livestock farmers who keep their livestock there, cleaning the forests and reducing the likelihood of fires, as well a key priority for people in the EU;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recognises the complexity of assessing the state of forests, as well as the uneven availability and quality of data and therefore stresses the need for continuous policy and scientific dialogue with all stakeholders at all levels to improve data collection and harmonisation;
Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Underlines that the strategy must align with the work undertaken in international forums, such as FOREST EUROPE and the Food and Agriculture Organization, not forgetting farmers and producers themselves, and should avoid duplicating work; further believes that, given the EU’s strong commitment to promoting the sustainable use of resources globally, the strategy should be implemented in such a way as to serve as a model of best practices;
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Recognises the key role of forests in protecting the climate and biodiversity; underlines that the multi-functional role of forests comprises multiple socioeconomic functions, such as the provision of raw materials, which leads to jobs and economic growth in rural areas, the provision of clean water and air, protection against natural hazards and recreational value, as well as economic functions and serving to anchor rural populations to the land; stresses that the implementation of the strategy must ensure a balanced provision of all services and maintain competitiveness and innovation; underlines that the successful provision of services requires sustainable active management;
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 9
Paragraph 9
9. Stresses that forests contribute to climate change mitigation via carbon sequestration, carbon storage and the substitution of wood and all wood products for fossil fuels and derived products; notes that the strategy has a particular focus on storage in the construction sector and believes its implementation should support a broader use of different options for substitution, in line with the goals of the bioeconomy strategy; emphasizes the role of research on substitution of fossil-based materials and fossil fuels.
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Highlights that for wood-based products to contribute optimally to climate change mitigation and a circular economy requires that they be used in the most efficient and sustainable way; believes that the cascading principle8 is a good guideline for efficient use, but must not use a static approach and therefore must be adjusted regularly to reflect innovative uses; stresses that a well-functioning, un- distorted market incentivises the efficient use of wood- based resources; _________________ 8 As outlined in the Commission’s ‘Guidance on cascading use of biomass with selected good practice examples on woody biomass’.
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Underlines the importance of a reliable supply of wood, wood-based products and forest-based biomass to achieve the EU’s sustainability goals and notes that the demand is expected to continue to grow; believes that the EU’s forestry sector provide the most sustainably sourced raw materials; calls on the Commission to consider displacement effects and monitor any effects on the availability of wood following the implementation of measures under the strategy; after the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, highlights the crucial importance of the EU’s security of supply and own raw material production.
Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Highlights that pressure on forests from natural disasters and other disturbances is being increasingly intensified by climate change and that strengthening forests’ resilience is a matter of urgency; notes the role that restoration and afforestation can play in strengthening resilience and enhancing biodiversity; notes that sustainable forest management consists of a broad array of actions and adaptive practices, many of which can play a key role in climate mitigation; the Member States’ varying forests and climate conditions require differentiated sustainable forest management practices, that should be developed nationally, regionally and locally.
Amendment 330 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Takes note of the ongoing work on voluntary guidance for ‘closer-to-nature’ forestry by the Working Group on Forests and Nature; believes that to ensure added value, guidance on this concept should incorporate results-oriented, scientifically and locally proven sustainable forest management practices to give forest owners and managers the tools to yield connections and cooperation on better integrating biodiversity protection with improved management practices;
Amendment 346 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. Reiterates its call for the protection and further research of primary and old- growth forests and stresses the need toat the Member States should create a definition for what constitutes old-growth forests; welcomes the ongoing work of the Working Group on Forests and Nature and underlines the need to consider a diverse set of attributes and ensure flexibility to account for specific conditions in bio- geographic regions and forest types;
Amendment 403 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Points out that the forestry sector operates primarily as a market-based sector; stresses that putting a stronger emphasis on other ecosystem services should not lead to an increased dependency on subsidies and encourages the Commission and Member States to further pursue the development of market-based payment for ecosystem services schemes, such as carbon farming;, taking into account that CAP-funding must mainly remain targeted for food production and ensuring food security in the Union.
Amendment 419 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
19. Acknowledges the important contribution of existing market-driven certification schemes to the further uptake of sustainable forest management; takes note of the Commission’s announcement on developing a ‘closer-to-nature’ certification schemrelies on consumer demand and preferences to shape the development on these schemes also in the future; encourages the Commission to cooperate with existing certification schemes and believes that to create added value, the certification must offer foresters a price premium for the provision of ecosystem services;
Amendment 426 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. Highlights that to unlock the full potential of forests to contribute to climate and circular economy targets, further research and development in the field of bio-based alternatives to fossil-based products are required and should be incentivised; underlines that a predictable regulatory environment is a precondition to attracting investments; encourages to continue supporting innovations related to wood, such as wood-based textiles that have high potential to substitute synthetic textile fibres and cotton.
Amendment 440 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22
Paragraph 22
22. Stresses that the implementation of the strategy must focus on enabling small- holders to deliver on the multiple forest functions and calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that support programmes, payment for ecosystem services schemes and research funding are attractive understandable and easily accessible;
Amendment 464 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Stresses the importance of accurate, integrated and up-to-date data on Europe’s forests and takes note of the initiative for a legislative proposal for a framework on forest observation, reporting and data collection; reminds that the data must be collected from local actors; underlines that the broad availability, high quality and transparency of data are preconditions to meeting the goals of the strategy and believes that to deliver added value the framework must build on existing mechanisms and processes through a bottom-up approach to best use the expertise and experience present in the Member States;
Amendment 481 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Takes note of the idea to introduce strategic plans for forests under the framework on forest observation, reporting and data collection; further notes that several Member States already have national strategies for forests in place; calls on the Commission to give priority to the existing national strategies over strategic plans on EU level.
Amendment 490 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27
Paragraph 27
27. Believes that due to the multi- functional contribution of forests to high- level EU goals and the different administrative levels and stakeholder groups involved, the cornerstones of the strategy’s implementation must be close cooperation and the exchange of best practices with national and regional experts, stakeholders, forest managers, scientists and civil society; underlines that governance must take EU and Member State engagement in international processes into account; reminds that forests should not only be considered as CO2 sinks and thereby reducing other sectors' contribution in minimising their emissions.
Amendment 526 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 31 a (new)
Paragraph 31 a (new)
31a. Invites the Commission to report to the Parliament on the implementation of the Strategy on a yearly basis.