Actions taken to enhance policymaking based on science

Dec 9, 2024

At the Summary Day of the 26th IUFRO World Congress, key stakeholders from the Nordic and Baltic regions rallied behind the ambitions of the Stockholm Congress Statement, emphasizing the urgent need for improved collaboration and science-based policymaking.

“Forests not only play a pivotal role for the future; forests play the pivotal role in mitigating climate change and ensuring a sustainable future. That is why we must make science more visible and accessible to all stakeholders,” said Daniela Kleinschmit, President of IUFRO.

Held in Stockholm this past week, the Summary Day brought together approximately 60 various forest stakeholders from the Nordic and Baltic countries, both on-site and online, to discuss the Congress’s heritage and discuss how to reach the goals set in the Stockholm Congress Statement.
As part of her vision for IUFRO’s future, the newly elected president Daniela Kleinschmit introduced a new concept of regional research networks in Europe and Africa. These networks aim to strengthen the science-policy interface by integrating regional knowledge with global assessments and providing actionable insights for policymakers.
“This is a way to integrate regional knowledge, including global assessment insights, into IUFRO’s work and thus make a larger impact on policymakers regionally and globally,” Kleinschmit explained. “Our task is to coordinate research findings and make them accessible to all stakeholders. This is how we can achieve alignment in forest issues based on science.”
The regional networks will be guided by Core Groups responsible for prioritizing, structuring, and implementing activities tailored to each region’s needs. Stakeholders such as Formas (the Swedish research council for sustainable development), SCA (a major Swedish forest company), SNS (the Nordic Forest Research organization), and leading universities from the region expressed support for the initiative. The work will begin in January next year.

Building Trust and Dialogue

The importance of dialogue and collaboration was a recurring theme during the day. Ritva Toivonen, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry at Helsinki University, stressed the need to bridge gaps between research and practice.

“We need research to build sustainable and climate-resilient societies, but this requires dialogue beyond research, inviting other stakeholders to the table. The research needs to be more visible and have a greater impact on policies and forest practices,” Toivonen emphasized. “The many stakeholders need to trust science more and make decisions based on science. The key is a collaborative dialogue between all stakeholders.”

Anna Ylä-Antilla, Director of FSC Finland, was fully aligned, calling for consensus among forest stakeholders to balance economic, social, and ecological values. “Without consensus, it will be hard to balance the diverse demands on forests,” she said.

Regional Collaboration: A Key to Global Impact

Adalsteinn Sigurgeirsson, Director of Icelandic Forest Research, highlighted the importance of improved regional collaboration. “Cooperation is the key. Actions and decisions must be grounded in scientific findings. Strengthening regional collaboration will influence European and ultimately global scientific agendas,” he said.

Toivonen added that the polarized debate in forestry needs to end for sustainable solutions to emerge. “If we don’t collaborate better, we cannot find solutions that meet the demands of economic, societal, and ecological dimensions,” she said.

The Role of Innovation

Innovation in forestry practices was also highlighted during the discussions. Olle Gelin, CEO of Airforestry, a Swedish innovation company in drone-harvesting, emphasized the need for a bold approach to innovation.

“We need to show the way in managing forests. Innovations may improve forest management, but we also need to think beyond incremental improvements. Innovations should break new ground, yet current mindsets often slow these necessary initiatives,” Gelin said.

He pointed to global examples of forest mismanagement, underscoring that transformative solutions are essential for building a sustainable future.

A Step for the Future

The Summary Day concluded with a collective commitment to the Stockholm Congress Statement’s vision to secure a sustainable future for all.

“I think the Summary Day was a success. The legacy of the Congress will not fade away. Instead this day marked the first step to the bold actions called for by the delegates of the IUFRO World Congress”, said Fredrik Ingemarson, chair of the Congress Organizing Committee.