75 Amendments of Gaston FRANCO related to 2010/2106(INI)
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 9 bis (new)
Citation 9 bis (new)
– having regard to European Parliament Study 449.292 assessing the Green Paper On Forest Protection and Information in the EU, Preparing forests for climate change (whole text and the summary thereof),
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Considers that forests not only areEuropean forests account for 45% of the surface area of the European Union and are not only essential to the environment, but also contribute to the achievement of social and economic objectives, for example by providing timber, improving the general living environment and protecting crops; forests are a major source of funding for rural communities, revenue being generated by activities relating to forestry, hunting and tourism;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Welcomes the Commission’s view that forests should be seen as a major contributor to solving the climate crisis; emphasises that sustainable forest management is of pivotal importance for the EU in achieving its climate goals and delivering necessary ecosystem services, such as biodiversifor protecting forest biodiversity, which delivers numerous ecosystem services (supply services using structural timber, and services related to regulation through carbon storage and protection against natural disasters) and cultural services (in the form of sustainable tourism) that are essential to society;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 13 bis (new)
Citation 13 bis (new)
– having regard to European Parliament Study 440.329 on forestry and the EU emissions trading scheme pursuant to the Kyoto protocol,
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 17 bis (new)
Citation 17 bis (new)
– having regard to the Council Conclusions of 8 and 9 November 2010 on Innovative Solutions for Financing Disaster Prevention,
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Notes that agriculture isand forest ecosystems are vulnerable to climate change, the manifestations of which have been increasing in number, frequency and intensity, deforestation having been taking place in numerous regions of Europe;the world; points out that forests also play an important role in terms of watercourse regulation, water quality standards and, the protection of vital springs, landscape preservation, maintaining soil fertility and protecting soil from erosion (especially in mountain regions) and desertification (especially in arid regions), all of which are of relevance to agriculture;
Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 21 bis (new)
Citation 21 bis (new)
– having regard to the conclusions of the meeting of 13 July 2010 in Brussels of the Forestry Subgroup of the ‘Climate change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development’ Intergroup and to European Parliament Study 449.237 entitled ‘European Strategy for the prevention and fight against Forest Fires’, presented during said meeting,
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 22 a (new)
Citation 22 a (new)
– having regard to the recommendations of the FAO/UNECE/ILO Experts Network on implementing sustainable forest management,
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Points, therefore, to the importance of protecting forest ecosystems, since they will help to further the EU’s future strategies for maintaining biodiversity, combating climate change, and reducing energy consumption;
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2a. Points out that species diversity is vital for the maintenance and development of agriculture and that forests play a major role in meeting the challenge of safeguarding biodiversity; stresses that the biodiversity guaranteed by forest ecosystems and the ecological functions these perform are seen as part of mankind's heritage;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas around 60% of the EU’s forests are owned by approximately 16 million private forest owners who are responsible for the implementation of sustainable forest management on the ground,
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B a (new)
Recital B a (new)
Ba. whereas deforestation is progressing in the world at an alarming rate, with the FAO putting net figures for forest areas lost worldwide during the period 2005- 2010 at approximately 5.5 million ha per year,
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B b (new)
Recital B b (new)
Bb. whereas the EU is one of the few regions in the world where forest area is rising (+ 600 000 ha/year), whilst globally the trend is towards a rapid drop (-16 million ha/year),
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Points out that European forestry initiatives should be aimed at ‘adapting’ forests to climate change, rather than ‘protecting’ them, thus bringing the terminology into line with tha by means of a forestry strategy to avert risks posed by climate developments in the years ahead; notes in addition that it will be impossible to adapt mfore commonly used in other climate change policiessts to climate change unless Europe-wide coordination arrangements are set up with a view to providing reliable, coherent forest-related information;
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B c (new)
Recital B c (new)
Bc. whereas, despite the generally positive trend, approximately 500 000 ha of forest are lost every year in the EU as a result of forest fires, which ravage mainly Member States in the south of Europe;
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas 30% of NATURA 2000 sites are forest habitats, 66% of which 33% have una favourable conservation status, being one of the most well-performing habitat type,
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Notes the potential added value of European coordination of forestat, given the growing number of forest fires, the loss of biodiversity, informestation andby invasive supervision of climate change adaptation targets, mitigcies and parasites, and the increasing spread of deforestation, targets, renewable energy targethe resilience of forest ecosystems cand best practices for multifunctional andnot be achieved unless sustainable forest management, in particular in view of the cross-border nature of the challenges faced methods are employed to preserve the multifunctionality of forests;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Considers that active forest management is important for its contribution to rural economies and job creation, as well as EU energy strategy; the great potential of forests as a renewable source of energy and provider of naturally renewable eco- materials is currently being underexploited; accordingly welcomes the Commission’s public consultation initiative regarding the role of agriculture and forestry in achieving climate-change objectives; calls on the Commission to propose ways of extending these strategies to include the reduction of carbon emissions and carbon sequestration by means of land use and land-use change and forestry (LULUCF); and in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS);
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Considers that the inclusion of forests in the Community’s EU ETS maximises the contribution made by forestry sector to combating climate change, by giving forestry access to the ‘carbon credit’ market mechanisms;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Notes the importance of global cooperation on standard setting, best practices and technology transfers, especially in the context of the REDD systemin order to protect forest ecosystems, for instance by means of the FLEGT rules, forest certification, the system of due diligence established by the July 2010 regulation on timber and timber products for the purpose of combating illegal logging, or the REDD international arrangement based on the use of targeted measures to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions caused by deforestation; regrets, therefore, that the current study is confined to European forests, bearing in mind that protecting forests from climate change is a global challenge;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C a (new)
Recital C a (new)
Ca. whereas mountain forests account for one third of total forest area in the EU and are essential to the natural landscape as they help in soil protection and regulating water supply; whereas these forests play a fundamental role in local economic activity and their carbon storage capacity is equivalent to the total figure for all emissions from the European forestry sector,
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital D
Recital D
D. whereas energy generation from solid biomass and biowaste is projected to be 58% of EU renewables by 2020, leading to an intensification of forestry practices and inforestry biomass share is expected to decreases in the ratio of felling to increment to over 100%relative terms unlike waste and agricultural biomass,
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Stresses the important role played by forests in regional development, especially in rural areas, where the forestry sector makes a major contribution to economic growth, jobs and, prosperity, competitiveness, and the attractiveness of regions;
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital E
Recital E
E. whereas protection of all forest protefunctions should be mainstreamed in all EU policies affecting forests,
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Acknowledges the importance of maintaining orand increasing forest resources, for variousenvironmental, economic, and social purposes, in the EU;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Points to the importance of forestry and forest-based industries in the development of renewable energy sources; points out that this sector has a useful role to play in meeting the challenge of energy efficiency, taking into account the use of forest biomass, energy wood, firewood, biofuels, and structural timber, which helps to promote low-consumption buildings, and the use of cogeneration to exploit wood waste;
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 b (new)
Paragraph 6 b (new)
6b. Calls on the Commission to investigate the possibility of creating an administrative structure with specific responsibility for forestry issues in order to ensure that internal Community action is consistent with external positions relating to forests (cooperation, development, trade in tropical wood);
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 6 c (new)
Paragraph 6 c (new)
6c. Considers that the EU’s strategy on forests should move towards a fully- fledged European forestry policy, as this would enhance the coordination of national and Community measures and boost the image of the European Union in international negotiations on combating climate change;
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 7 b (new)
Paragraph 7 b (new)
7a. Points to the need to revitalise forestry and forest-based industries by means of a communication policy aimed at encouraging the consumption and sustainable use of wood; points to the growth potential of this sector;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital F a (new)
Recital F a (new)
Fa. whereas the forestry sector is particularly sensitive to climate change and the increased likelihood of storms, drought and fire brought about by climate change impacts forestry work;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. CallsNotes that the EU has undeniable know-how in the forestry sphere, stemming from long-standing traditional forestry practices; calls, however, for further action on research, educationtraining and information regarding the risks of climate change for forests and the forestry sector, as well as for long-term planning by the forestry industry, the regions and the Member States;
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8 a (new)
Paragraph 8 a (new)
8a. Calls for measures financed jointly by the EU and the Member States to be implemented with a view to encouraging operations aimed at forestalling the risks which climate change and population pressure might entail for sustainable forest management;
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 8
Paragraph 8
8. Considers that forests are of major benefit in terms ofgenerate priceless public goods, for which the market reward is insufficient; the European Union should provide assistance to forest owners from funding instruments as a reward for their efforts to implement measures to protect the genetic diversity of forests; reaffirms Parliament's view regarding the need for EU-funded support payments for additional areas, thereby rewarding farmers for reducing carbon emissions per production unit and/or increasing carbon storage in the soil, using sustainable production methods;
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital I
Recital I
I. whereas the EU FAP has four goalobjectives: improving long-term competitiveness, protecting the environment, contributing to quality of life and fostering coordination and whereas significant progress has been made mainly in achieving the first goalall objectives,
Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Advocates the wider application of Article 68 of Council Regulation (EC) No 73/2009 of 19 January 2009 in respect of forests, as this covers specific support to farmers who comply with certain environmental standards; advocates providing financial support to forest owners in order to encourage them to take advantage of the benefits of bio-energy, certification, carbon storage and other forest services; emphasises the need to make additional funding available for this purpose;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital L
Recital L
L. whereas genetic selection should not favour performance tracombine both productivitsy atnd the expense of adaptive oneadaptive capability of forest ecosystems and also cover human-induced threats,
Amendment 89 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Considers it necessary to improve and encourage associations of forest owners so as to improve communication between them and provito practise sustainable forest management, as this is the key tool for balancing the supply of the many goods and services that forests can provide, whilst acting as the basis for adapting to climate change; considers it necessary to create a network of forest owner organisations in Europe in order them with consultancy services; o promote the exchange of information and best practice and to concentrate supply;
Amendment 96 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Considers that the EU should support sustainable forest management through funding for forestry activities of benefit to it; special attention should be given in this respect to forestry undertakings, most of which are small or medium sized; they must be encouraged to modernise and restructure in order to meet the new challenges arising from climate change and the economic crisis, combating illegal logging, the economic crisis and international competition;
Amendment 99 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 13 a (new)
Paragraph 13 a (new)
13a. Stresses that climate change results in an increasing number of natural disasters, fires and the proliferation of insect pests in forest ecosystems and that adapting European forests to these risks is a key objective;
Amendment 103 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Reiterates its concerns regarding forest fires, which are a serious problem, ands the need to take action to preventre have been no Community rules on the prevention of fires since the repeal of the Forest Focus Regulation; calls on the Commission to draw up a new regulation setting up a risk prevention policy anyd deterioration in the compositionmands that the organisation of risk prevention be made a mandatory measure prior to any afforestation as part of a forests as a result of excessive forestation. fire prevention plan for each expanse of forest; emphasises the need to favour multi-species replanting so as not to change the composition of forests and make them more resistant to different hazards;
Amendment 105 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Is convinced that ecological sustainabilitySustainable Forest Management is the prerequisite for the continuation of the economicous ability of EU forests to carry out economic, ecological and social functions of EU forests;
Amendment 107 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Welcomes the success of EU efforts to achieve global competitiveness for European forest- based industries;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Calls on the Commission to submit to Parliament and the Council a new communication, accompanied by a legislative proposal, on the competitiveness of the forestry sector;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Calls on the Commission and Member States to intensify efforts to achieve the environment and quality of life goals of the FAP, the implementation of which is currently lagging behindall the four objectives of the FAP according to the key recommendations in the Report of the Mid-term evaluation of the implementation of the EU Forest Action Plan;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Stresses that forest protection depends on long-term commitment on the part of Member States, the regions, forest-based industries and both public and private forest owners; stresses that those stakeholders also need to be aware of the importance of the tree census and of the protection of unusual trees, with a view to devising a strategy for the protection of such trees, which may also be located outside forests;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Calls on the Commission, in this connection, to create a permanent 'Forestry Forum', in order to enable all those with a stake in forestry to meet for the purpose of examining performance and ensuring the medium- and long-term updating of the Union's SFM strategy;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 10
Paragraph 10
10. Advocates that active SFM should be made mandatory in the EU inand at the core of the clontext of five-g-term (e.g. 5-10 years) National Forest Programmes incorporating regional priorities and measurable targets and evaluation criteria;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Notes that sustainable management which includes genetic diversity, natural regeneration and diversity in structure and species mixture are common elements in forest adaptation options, cuttingshould be applied across all bioclimatic zones, management systems and forest types in order to guarantee economic viability;
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 a (new)
Paragraph 11 a (new)
11a. Calls on the Commission to create a 'Forest Heritage Observatory', which would enable the centralisation of data on the state of conservation and health of forests in the Union;
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11 b (new)
Paragraph 11 b (new)
11b. Recalls that the EU is the biggest public aid donor to developing countries (with the forest sector receiving more than EUR 600 million in 2003), and regrets the failure of the Green Paper to register any progress on the need to coordinate Community actions within and outside the Union;
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Calls on the Commission to present a legislative proposal for a framework for the climate adaptation of EU forests, to be backed up by a forestry fund; invites the Commission, in this connection, to submit proposals to the Council and Parliament in the framework of the revision of the financial perspective for the period 2014- 2020;
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12 a (new)
Paragraph 12 a (new)
12a. Stresses the need for the Treaties to include a specific legal basis for forests and forestry products;
Amendment 191 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Urges the Commission to report to Parliament and the Council on options for the introduction of payments for ecosystem services taking into account the role of forestation, biodiversity conservation and SFM, as well as that of reforestation, prioritising broad-leaved trees, whose yield is more long-term than that of conifers but which considerably improve the quality of soil and biodiversity; stresses nonetheless that reforestation must, as a matter of priority, respect the characteristics of the location of planting;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Urges the Commission to present a legislative proposal for Forest Fire Prevention incorporating funding for the European Forest Fires Information System (EFFIS), infrastructure, training and prevention planning; asks the Commission to think about binding European rules on the clearing of peri-urban wooded areas with a view to preventing and containing forest fires;
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14
Paragraph 14
14. Urges the Commission to present a legislative proposal for Forest Fire Prevention incorporating funding for the European Forest Fires Information System (EFFIS), infrastructure, training, education (forest and forestry awareness) and prevention planning;
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 14 a (new)
Paragraph 14 a (new)
14a. Calls on the Commission to take into account the Council conclusions of 8 and 9 November 2010 on innovative financing solutions for disaster prevention measures and accordingly calls for a new regulation to replace the old Regulation (EEC) No 2158/92 on protection of the Community’s forests against fire and the ‘Forest Focus’ Regulation, Regulation (EC) No 2152/2003, on protection of forests against atmospheric pollution, these two regulations having expired in 2002 and 2006 respectively;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Urges the Commission to present a legislative proposal for Forest Information and Education (forest and forestry awareness) taking into account climate threats and the need for harmonised and comparable data in the context of the UNFCCC, CBD, and environmental accounts;
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 a (new)
Paragraph 15 a (new)
15a. Urges the Commission to set up an in-house unit specifically responsible for forestry affairs and to give that unit the task of ensuring that internal Community measures are consistent with external policy statements concerning forests (cooperation, development, exotic wood trade, etc.) and also to set up an advisory committee, operating within the Commission, to monitor and assess sustainable forest development contracts;
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 b (new)
Paragraph 15 b (new)
15b. Calls on the Commission to draw up an action plan to protect EU forests in order to forestall the adverse impact of proliferation of insects and diseases caused by climate change;
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 c (new)
Paragraph 15 c (new)
15c. Calls on the Commission to develop European research into renewable energy sources, focusing especially on wood waste, as these forms of energy are essential in order to combat climate change;
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15 d (new)
Paragraph 15 d (new)
15d. Calls on the Commission to promote the consumption of sustainably managed wood in Europe, and in particular structural timber, which serves to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
17. Maintains that producer groups and public bodieublic bodies, forest owners, forest owner groups and other rural producers should be made eligible for forestry measures in the second pillar of the CAP;
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
18. Maintains that assistance to public and private actors protecting forest biodiversity of species, habitats and ecosystem services must increase, and also include voluntary protection methods and eligibility must also be extended to areas connecting NATURA 2000 sites;
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20 a (new)
Paragraph 20 a (new)
20a. Calls on the Commission to devise a policy approach whereby forests would be recognised as ‘public goods’, along the same lines as agriculture, and emphasis is laid on their role as producers of positive externalities promoting the well-being of society;
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21 a (new)
Paragraph 21 a (new)
21a. Highlights afforestation as an exemplary measure in the CAP which has covered 900 000 ha of both non- agricultural and agricultural land in the current programming period;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 22 a (new)
Paragraph 22 a (new)
22a. Calls on the Commission to reconsider the possibility of incorporating LULUCF activities into the (GHG) EU ETS (Directive 2009/29/EC) in the light of new scientific data and taking into account the opinion of forestry professionals;
Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 23
Paragraph 23
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24
Paragraph 24
24. Calls for the establishment of a GHG calculation methodology controlling for longer time horizons and biomass emissions from land use and forest management, taking into account however existing internationally agreed IPCC methodologies;
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 24 a (new)
Paragraph 24 a (new)
24a. Calls on the Commission to launch a plan, supported and co-financed by the Community, for the mobilisation of wood for energy purposes;
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 26
Paragraph 26
26. Calls for the application of forest definitions which differentiate between carbon-rich old forests, intensively managed monocultuold forests and planted forests acting as a carbon pump between CO2 stored in wood products and CO2 in trees and other forest types according to biomes(bioproducts) and points out that this type of forestry, which encourages the production of long-life timber, is conducive to GHG reduction;
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 a (new)
Paragraph 27 a (new)
27a. Believes that productive forests should not only be focused on production wood but also on soil regeneration, food productivity and the fight against desertification;
Amendment 292 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 b (new)
Paragraph 27 b (new)
27b. Considers that recent research on climate and meteorology must be taken fully into account in European forest protection regulations;
Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 c (new)
Paragraph 27 c (new)
27c. In order to guarantee greater efficiency in forest management, recommends that the Commission and Member States develop research and define different criteria in relation to the needs and specific solutions applicable to the bioclimatic-zones;
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 27 d (new)
Paragraph 27 d (new)
27d. In order to achieve the objectives of the EU 20/20 Strategy, request that each Member State or region develop a forest strategy which includes: reforestation of the river banks, the capture of rainwater, agriculture activities and the research results for the selection of the best plant or trees of traditional varieties and species adapted to droughts;