Verbatim report of proceedings

Tuesday, 6 October 2020 - Brussels

The European Forest Strategy - The Way Forward (debate)

  Nicolae Ştefănuță (Renew). – Mr President, forests are not just wood. Forests are not just a resource for our economy. Passing this report as it is would be like looking at our greatest resource in the fight against climate change and only seeing a business. The report speaks often in optimistic terms about forest management in the EU and less about the protection of forests and biodiversity. It speaks too little about this, about the illegal logging in the EU. This is why I ask you to support and ask you to vote for Amendment 2. Let us call on the Commission and the Member States to set targets for forest covers, to call for strict protection of old—growth and primary forests. Let us all speak about the way forests can help the ambitious goals we set in the Climate Law. Forest protection provides us with hope, gives us a chance to have a buffer against the worst dangers of climate change. Let’s not miss the forest for the wood in it. Let’s act now.