Climate dispute in Sweden over paying forest owners to store carbon

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🗞️ Driving the news: Sweden is embroiled in a political dispute over whether to pay forest owners to delay tree harvesting, aiming to meet EU carbon removal goals under the LULUCF regulation
• A parliamentary proposal suggests offering landowners 400 SEK ($42) per ton of CO₂ stored by deferring harvests 5–20 years beyond the legal minimum
• The state-backed program could cost taxpayers 2.36 billion SEK ($246 million) by 2030

🔭 The context: Sweden holds the largest forest area in the EU and is key to helping the bloc reach its target of removing 310 million metric tons of CO₂ by 2030
• Private market activity is already underway, with Estonian startup Arbonics brokering carbon credit deals with nearly 500 Swedish landowners

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Delaying logging could significantly boost carbon sequestration, support biodiversity, and reflect the true ecological value of forests
• However, opponents warn of job losses and raw material shortages in the forestry and paper industries already facing declining demand

⏭️ What's next: The Swedish government’s September budget will determine whether the plan is adopted, rejected, or deferred to voluntary carbon markets
• Political divisions remain sharp, with pressure from both environmental advocates and industry groups

💬 One quote: “Small-scale saw mills would also risk closing due to increased raw material costs.” — Viveka Beckeman, Director General, Swedish Forest Industries Federation

📈 One stat: 7,200 jobs could be at risk if the proposal reduces wood supply to the forestry sector

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