The government is turning around and investing more than NOK 1 billion on voluntary forest protection. The retreat comes after massive protests from forest owners, environmental organizations and parts of the opposition. – Forests that have never been exposed to clear-cutting have more than half of the threatened species. That is why it is brilliant that the permits for forest protection are doubled, says Sabima manager Christian Steel. In the proposal for the state budget, the government cut the forest protection pot down to NOK 351 million. Following the budget agreement between the government and SV, the licensing for voluntary forest protection is up to NOK 800.4 million. In addition, the budget for the current year has increased by NOK 200 million through balancing. The new “forest billion” goes to pay compensation to forest owners who offer to protect forests. – SV has done excellent work. Without their efforts, we would not have achieved this, says Per Skorge, who is managing director of the Norwegian Forest Owners’ Association. The EU has decided that forests and land areas must increase the absorption of CO₂ to 310 million tonnes by 2030. Photo: Jøte Toftaker / news – All the more important that protected forests are registered Since the voluntary forest protection scheme was established, almost 870 areas have been protected. At the same time, new figures from the Ministry of Climate and Environment show that there was a decrease of 77 per cent in forest that landowners offer for forest conservation. – We are happy that there is finally more money for forest protection. Now it is all the more important that protected forests are registered. Old forest with good quality is the biggest shortcoming in forest protection, says Truls Gulowsen, who is the leader of the Nature Conservation Association. He adds: – But it is sad that SV had to spend energy fighting for something everyone is in favor of. In October, Økokrim warned of illegal logging in a new report. NINA: – A positive signal Lajla Tunaal White, Norwegian Institute of Natural Research (NINA) – Today’s news about the increase in the budget for forest protection is a positive signal that Norway will secure more of our species-rich forests and come faster towards the agreed targets to stop the loss of natural diversity. As of today, large areas of Norwegian forest with high natural value are in line for protection. This is land offered by forest owners through the Voluntary Conservation scheme who wish to contribute to sustainable management of the forest area. It is important that we ensure an even more representative selection of the biologically important forest and that the areas we protect first are those that we know have the greatest or most special diversity. Per Skorge, managing director of the Norwegian Foresters’ Association – The budget for voluntary protection is a very good result both for the environment and for each individual forest owner who offers forest for voluntary protection. SV has done excellent work in promoting this scheme. Without their efforts I would not have achieved this. The governing parties Sp and Ap must have good feedback for having listened to forestry and environmental organisations, and turned the issue around on voluntary forest protection. We are very pleased with the final result. Voluntary forest protection has gone from being cut to becoming a budget winner. Christian Steel, Sabima – The forest, especially the old-growth forest that has never been subject to clear-cutting, has more than half of the threatened species. It is therefore brilliant news that the licenses for forest protection will be doubled, so we will have more speed in getting the most valuable forest protected before it is cut down. It is important that the Norwegian Environment Agency now builds up its capacity in forest protection, and that protection maintains a consistently high pace in the years ahead. The beetle “Orthotomicus longicollis” thrives in old pines and is threatened by felling. Rimnål is a species of lichen that thrives in moist, older natural forest. A decomposed, dead tree. These are vital habitats for too many species. The amount of dead trees in the forest says a lot about the state of the environment. Natural forests are little affected by humans. Storting representative for the Liberal Party, Ola Elvestuen, was upset when the government proposed to cut social security. Now he characterizes the turnaround as “good”, but with delays. He points out that Norway has committed itself to net zero emissions within land use in 2030, but that the government buys itself out of the problem with “indulgences”. – We are very critical of the purchase of forest credits from countries that manage to take care of nature, while at the same time we do nothing to take care of nature here at home, he says. Norway will spend 3 billion on forest credits After opposition from the Center Party, it became clear in autumn that Norway will join the new and upgraded target in the EU’s climate requirements for forests and land use (LULUCF). The Center Party has objected to the arrangement because it uses the CO₂ values from the period 2000–2009 as a reference for its calculations. The period is “problematic” for Norway because it coincided with the “days of prosperity” for large amounts of forest that were planted in the post-war period, and so the list is “artificially high”. In addition, the harvest was somewhat lower than normal due to the financial crisis. In November, it became clear that the government is buying its way out of the “EEA tangle” by putting NOK 3 billion on the table for forest credits in Europe. Thus, the cut at home will be slightly smaller. CO₂ in the atmosphere measured in parts per million particles (ppm)460 parts per million particles (ppm)? Click for an explanation of parts per million, abbreviated ppmGo to news’s Climate Status Why is the graph so wavy? This is about seasons. In summer, the amount of CO₂ decreases because plants and trees absorb CO₂ from the air. In winter, the plants die, the CO₂ escapes and the graph rises. Since there are more plants and trees in the northern hemisphere, the seasons here control the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere. What is the problem with a lot of CO₂ in the atmosphere? The greenhouse effect makes the earth livable, but more greenhouse gases, such as CO₂, increase this effect and make the earth warmer . The graph starts in 1960 because this was the year when the world began to measure CO₂ systematically. It happened on Mauna Loa in Hawaii and the curve shows the measurements from there. Before the world became industrialized there was around 280 ppm CO₂ in the atmosphere (year 1700). The researchers found that out by analyzing ice core samples. Will there be less CO₂ in the atmosphere if emissions are cut? No, not immediately. If we cut emissions, the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere will only increase more slowly. The reduction in emissions must be large and last for a long time before we can see an effect. Imagine that the atmosphere is a bathtub and the greenhouse gases are the water you fill in. Even if you turn off the tap, the bathtub will not run out of water. This is the case with greenhouse gases and CO₂. It takes a long time for CO₂ to break down in the atmosphere. This is the reason why the experts want technology that sucks out greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, in addition to us cutting emissions. The world’s politicians have decided that they will try to limit the warming of the world to 1.5 degrees, compared to how the temperature was before the industrial revolution. Then we must keep the amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere below 430 ppm, according to the UN’s climate panel. On Friday, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) announced that Norway is giving NOK 1.1 billion to Indonesia to strengthen efforts for the rainforest. It is the largest single amount Norway has ever paid out in connection with the investment in the rainforest, and comes on top of corresponding investments in Brazil and Colombia. – The possibilities for rainforest conservation are better than ever with political will in Brazil, Colombia and Indonesia, says Tørris Jæger, secretary general of the Rainforest Fund, in a press release.
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New billion investment in forest protection – news Vestland
