Swedish Forest Industries’ Post

While vote counting goes on and Von der Leyen attends her confirmation as EC President, a few thoughts about how she positioned her second term vis a vis the ecological crisis. Her freshly release political guidelines are surprisingly sound. Clear commitment to continuation of the green deal, rule of law, protecting free press and civil society, massive investment in a green and equitable transition. I her speech she promised very clearly to pursue the Green deal objective, but also to cut "red tape" for SMEs, which is great, as long as it doesn't serve as trojan horse for environmental deregulation (which typically helps entrenched big vested interests, not innovative SMEs). Good commitment to clear #ClimateAction targets for 2040 to give companies a clear road map, and ensure intergenerational fairness. On "energy independence" strong on renewables but forgets efficiency and curbing demand- not so good. Announces a new strategy for climate adaptation and in particular for use of water in farming. Good if it's about science based water saving and nature based solutions. Not if it's about protecting big irrigators thus precipitating the crisis. On farming she exploits the still ongoing "strategic dialogue", but talks about making sure farmers get "fair prices" and reworded for environmental delivery. Which is fine and good, but these promises have been broken for over 2 decades. Significant quotes from the guidelines: 1. To ensure that we collectively follow up on enforcement and implementation, I will also ask each Commissioner to prepare an annual progress report for their respective European Parliament Committee and Council formation..... 2. ..continue the protection of our natural world. Our forests (etc)...are also essential to regulating our climate and ensuring food and water security. We will focus on incentives and on equitable and efficient implementation.... 3. "In the same spirit, we will also step up our engagement with civil society organisations that have expertise and an important role to play in defending specific societal issues and upholding human rights. We must ensure civil society is better protected in its work". Overall, a clear effort to keep the EC on a plausibly sane track, while catering to the very disparate coalition she needs support from. Let's see how the vote goes. Then how she shapes the team and what she puts in the mission letters. Ultimately you can't address the crisis without addressing it. And you cannot fend off the reality negating demagogues by catering to their demagoguery.

Ursula von der Leyen has been re-elected as President of the European Commission! 🇪🇺 We hope this signifies that the next European Commission will be as ambitious, if not more so, than the last on environmental and sustainability issues. To bring Europe to a fundamentally sustainable state, we must hold onto the green and social principles set out five years ago. The policies that are part of the European Green Deal have been vital in stimulating more biodiversity protection and climate change action. For example, the Nature Restoration Law and Fit-for-55 are having a massive positive impact. We are moving in the right direction, but we are not there yet. We still see many challenges to fully embedding systems thinking in the policy-making process. This is why, earlier this year, we co-founded the Systems Transformation Hub: a pioneering partnership of organizations that helps bring systems thinking and action to European policy-making. Alongside our co-founders The Club of Rome, Climate-KIC, Systemiq Ltd., and World Resources Institute Europe, we hope to contribute to a green and social Europe in the next five years with science-driven policies. Read the full collective statement of the leaders of the Hub, Sandrine Dixson-Declève, Kirsten Dunlop, Eva Gladek, Janez Potocnik, and Stientje van Veldhoven, on the reappointment of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission: https://lnkd.in/e29w_QNt #EU #SystemsTransformation

'My highlights from the article: #ECHR #Stasbourg #Climatechange #Switzerland #VereinKlimaSeniorinnenSchweiz #SeniorWomenForClimateSwitzerland 1. The Strasbourg-based court said earlier this week that Switzerland’s failure to do enough to cut its national greenhouse gas emissions was a clear violation of the human rights of a group of more than 2,000 older Swiss women. The women argued successfully that their rights to privacy and family life were being breached because they were particularly vulnerable to the health impacts of heatwaves. 2. The 17-judge panel did not prescribe exactly what Switzerland should do to address the problem, leaving it to the Council of Europe’s committee of ministers to come up with a solution. But it did lay out minimum governance standards that states should have “due regard” to, such as setting carbon budgets and interim targets, keeping these updated and based on the best available evidence, and being transparent about how well they are being met." 3. “What the court did quite clearly was to say that, while the Swiss government retains some discretion to define the precise measures it will take, that discretion is not unfettered; it has to be within the bounds of what science shows is clearly required to prevent further harm.” 4. “But what is really striking in this case is that you have 17 judges from many different countries, perspectives and legal backgrounds and this was a near unanimous decision.” 5. [While] judicial intervention cannot replace legislative and executive action. “However, democracy cannot be reduced to the will of the majority of the electorate and elected representatives, in disregard of the requirements of the rule of law,” they state in their ruling. 6. The ruling opens the way for several climate-related lawsuits that had been adjourned at the court. One brought by Greenpeace Nordic against the Norwegian government seeks to prevent the expansion of fossil fuel extraction in the Arctic. Another is being brought by an Austrian man with a temperature-dependent form of multiple sclerosis who argues, like the Swiss women, that this makes him particularly vulnerable to heatwaves. It is also expected to bolster ongoing lawsuits around Europe.' https://lnkd.in/dEUEdUgs

In Switzerland, a group of women have won the first ever climate case victory in the European Court of Human Rights. In a landmark ruling, the European Court of Human Rights has delivered the first-ever climate case victory, setting a precedent that could change the future of environmental litigation. This victory came about thanks to the determination of a group of Swiss women who took a stand against their government's inadequate action on climate change. Ruling Highlights: 1️⃣ The court has found the Swiss Government guilty of violating human rights due to its inaction on climate change. 2️⃣ This decision reveals that weak government climate policies are not just a failure of duty but a violation of fundamental human rights. 3️⃣ The ruling is a response to Switzerland's lack of a binding national greenhouse gas budget post-2024 and its failure to meet previous emissions reduction targets, deeming these shortcomings a violation of the right to privacy and family life under Article 8 of the Convention. Impact and Next Steps: 1️⃣ This groundbreaking decision is expected to influence court decisions across Europe and potentially globally, encouraging more communities to challenge their governments over climate inaction. 2️⃣ The Swiss state has been ordered to implement corrective measures and compensate the plaintiffs' legal expenses amounting to approximately €80,000 (US$87,000) within three months. 3️⃣ This case not only marks a significant moment in legal history but also serves as a powerful reminder of the role of judicial systems in holding governments accountable for their environmental responsibilities. Let's celebrate this victory and continue to push for meaningful action on climate change. #ClimateAction #HumanRights #Sustainability #EnvironmentalJustice

🌍 It's Time to Move Beyond Left vs. Right on Environmental Policy 🌱 As the dust settles on the Swedish federal budget debate, we’ve once again seen the typical polarization: right-wing negligence versus left-wing doom and gloom. But why should clean air, healthy ecosystems, and a livable planet be reduced to partisan talking points? 📖 When reading “The Conservative Environmentalist”, I feel very connected to the thesis laid out by Benjamin (Benji) Backer: environmental protection isn’t a political issue—it’s a human one. We need smart, solutions-oriented approaches that unite us, rather than the divisive rhetoric that holds us back. 🇸🇪 Closer to home, PM Nilsson has written extensively on the need for a pragmatic, conservative environmental policy, advocating for Sweden’s electrification and responsible environmental stewardship. Nilsson’s vision mirrors Backer’s call for us to move past ideology and focus on practical solutions that protect our future. I sincerely hope the governing coalition will listen to this excellent voice on how to craft a modern environmental policy. The current path will likely lead to voter exodus as sustainability ascends to top of mind amongst citizens here and elsewhere. ♻️ It’s time we stop seeing sustainability as a left vs. right debate and start treating it as the shared responsibility it truly is. Let’s move forward, together. #Sustainability #CleanEnergy #ClimateAction #biodiversity #EnvironmentalPolicy

In September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented her team of upcoming Commissioners. Her second mandate is set to be defined by competitiveness, security and democracy, as already presented in her political guidelines. The new distribution of portfolios is significantly interlinked. Spain’s Teresa Ribera will oversee competition, state aid and green transition, while France’s Stéphane Séjourné will take charge of industry and competitiveness. These and other strategic portfolios have been granted to pro-climate politicians, which could be von der Leyen’s attempt to ensure that the EU adheres to the Green Deal, despite the changing geopolitical and economic environment. Among the newly proposed Commissioners, Jessika Roswall from Sweden is designated as the Commissioner for environment, water resilience and a competitive circular economy. If confirmed by Parliament, she will lead the work on the Circular Economy Act, together with Séjourné. The Circular Economy Act will include specific measures to create a market for secondary materials and establish a single market for waste, especially in relation to critical raw materials. Roswall is also tasked with aligning the broader goals of environmental resilience and economic competitiveness. The next steps involve the formal approval of the new Commissioners by the European Parliament, which will conduct hearings to assess their competences. This is expected to take place in October. Once approved, the new Commission should officially take office on 1 December.

The re-elected President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen published her 2024-2029 Political Guidelines, a 31 page document outlining the vision, ambition and priorities for the next 5 years. This quote captures the way forward:’My view is that our era’s greatest challenges - from security to climate change to competitiveness - can only be solved through joint action. Our threats are too great to tackle individually. Our opportunities too big to grasp alone.’ The document deals with many challenges, which you can read here (https://lnkd.in/e76hB2FT). Staying the course on the goals set out in the European Green Deal is explicitly mentioned. Priorities listed include a.o.: - a new Clean Industrial Deal in the first 100 days of the mandate; - a 90% emission-reduction target for 2040 in the European Climate Law; - an Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act to support companies through the transition; - a new Circular Economy Act; - a European Savings and Investments Union, including banking and capital markets, to help finance the transitions; - a Just Transition, including an investment platform for affordable and sustainable housing and the roll-out of the Social Climate Fund; - a Commissioner for Equality; - a Vision for Agriculture and Food to ensure competitiveness and sustainability of the farming sector; - the continued protection of nature, an Oceans Pact and a dedicated Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans; -a European Climate Adaptation Plan, going hand in hand with a new European Water Resilience Strategy. #EU #EUGD #sustainability #circularity

Here's your weekly dose of news from the heart of the European Union!🇪🇺 Check out these top headlines, cherry-picked by Position Green's Brussels team, including Julia Staunig, Regitze Theill Jensen, and Ramona V. 💡New Dutch government to focus on climate change adaptation rather than mitigation The Netherlands has a new government, including the far-right party of Geert Wilders. While the country has been a frontrunner in sustainable policies historically, last week's coalition agreement foresees the relaxation of many green initiatives. Among them are nitrogen pollution regulations and environmental protection zones. Instead of reducing CO2 emissions and other forms of pollution, the country is now set to focus on preparing for climate-related changes, such as floods and droughts. 💡The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) passes another hurdle EU member states' EU ambassadors last week confirmed the CSDDD agreement, paving the way for its definitive adoption by the Council of the European Union on May 24. However, it was another real nail-biter with some countries reiterating that they would abstain from voting on the text. Losing this many votes would have jeopardized the vote. Luckily, in the end, the adoption passed through. 💡New rules for selecting renewable energy sources The European Commission's new guidelines will allow governments to consider many other factors besides price when choosing renewable energy suppliers. Rather than imposing tariffs on Chinese imports outright, a route the US has taken, Europe once again takes the road of non-price rules to help shield the local solar and wind industry from global competition. Aspects such as how many apprentices a supplier has or how advanced their technology is in handling bird mitigation for wind farms can now be accounted for as criteria. That's it for this week! Make sure to hit the like and follow button to see more updates like this in your feed.

It's that time of the decade ! Last Sunday the results of the European elections unfolded and I now try to reflect on what's next for EU environmental policy. Spoiler alert, it's not all bad !! In short, yes Eurosceptic, far-right groups (ECR, ID, non-aligned) made significant gains at the expense of progressives (Renew and Greens) and that will likely impact negatively the enactment, transposition and implementation of much-needed EU sustainability policies in the years to come. BUT, first, the coalition that carried the European Green Deal is still standing and, second, far-right groups are not homogeneous. Their members may be willing to engage on key aspects of the green and digital transition, especially in this new geopolitical context dominated by competitiveness and strategic autonomy considerations we find ourselves in. Progressive stakeholders must now be ready to engage to deliver on economic, social and environmental progress toward a net-zero economy that remains within planetary boundaries and places the wellbeing of its citizens at its core. The Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) will continue to play its role ! Onward ! #climate #competitiveness #wellbeingeconomy #social #economy #EUelections #EUelections2024 #transition #justtransition #environment #circulareconomy #trade #industrialpolicy #EU #EuropeanUnion #autonomy European People's Party Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament The Greens/EFA in the European Parliament ReNew https://lnkd.in/eBMq4UrH

💥 Earlier this week, a new human-rights-based climate case was filed before the European Court of Human Rights - this time against Austria! The basis of the case is not completely new. 💡 An MS sufferer, whose condition worsens with high temperatures, is arguing that Austria has failed to effectively mitigate climate change impacts.  If this case is filed against a government❓why should corporates care❓ 💡Because it has the potential to impact corporates across all sectors (aviation in particular is mentioned in the case submissions!).   💡There are two vehicles by which climate cases against governments can impact corporate players: 1️⃣ Transition risk, which arises when, in response to these judgments, governments adopt new laws or more ambitious climate policies, which then cascade down the economy to companies. 2️⃣ Using states’ human rights obligations to shape corporate duty of care, a method which can be seen as a legal interpretative tool.  ❓Is there any evidence of these impacts❓ 1️⃣ For transition risk, the success in the 2021 Neubauer case is telling (although the recent developments in the KlimaSeniorinnen case put this thesis to the test - 👇 see my comments for more details on the KlimaSeniorinnen case👇).  ▶️ In this case, the claimants challenged Germany’s lack of post-2030 climate targets and won. ▶️ German parliament was forced to adopt yearly reduction targets for 2031 – 2040 and publish separate emission removal targets for several industries. 2️⃣ For states’ human rights obligations shaping corporate duty of care, the 2021 Milieudefensie v Shell case is a great example. ▶️ The claimants used the Dutch government’s duty of care to protect its citizens from climate change (established in a prior case of Urgenda) to interpret Shell’s corporate duty of care along similar lines. ▶️ The case is being heard on appeal, but the judgment still stands, requiring Shell to reduce its emissions by at least net 45% by 2030, relative to 2019 levels. 👇 See my comments for links to all the mentioned cases and some further resources. #climatechange #climaterisk #climatection #climatejustice #climatelitigation #ECHR European Court of Human Rights CLAW - Initiative für Klimarecht https://lnkd.in/eZ2zRnyU