This workshop, organised by the OECD in partnership with the government of Latvia and the Latvian State Forest Research Institute (Silava), brought together a unique combination of perspectives from various experts on forestry, including policy makers, forest-related organisations, producer associations, international organisations and the academia. The event included a keynote speech, technical presentations, panel discussions and a first-hand experience with a visit to Latvia’s hemiboreal forest.
International expert workshop on forestry for the future: Uniting stakeholders for climate action and sustainable growth
- Date
- 26-28 May 2025
- Location
- Riga, Latvia
About
Background
Forestry plays a vital role for achieving climate and sustainable development goals. Globally, forests store approximately 2400 billion tons of CO2, which is more than 50 times the amount of CO2 emitted in 2023. They are also home to the majority of the Earth’s species and are essential for a variety of ecosystem services. At the same time, sustainable forest management provides renewable materials for climate-friendly development. Ensuring food security and adequate housing are important considerations, as croplands, pasturelands and human settlements often encroach upon forest areas.
These factors create trade-offs between environmental and socioeconomic goals that are often poorly understood and difficult to eliminate, but possible to mitigate or circumvent. Such trade-offs have not been sufficiently highlighted in public discourse, preventing policy makers from making informed decisions and hampering co-ordinated policy action. Bringing together different perspectives into a comprehensive dialogue is timely. It can help identify existing barriers and possibilities and synthesise best practices from the accumulated international policy experience. Such a dialogue may pave the way for the design of innovative forest policies, which ensure forest integrity without compromising economic growth.
Agenda
19:00: Arrival of delegations
19:30-21:00: Networking dinner at the Gutenbergs Hotel
Master of Ceremony: Aivars Lapins, Permanent Delegation of Latvia to UNESCO and OECD
9:00-10:15: Bus trip to Jelgava
Meeting point: Parking at riverside on 11. novembra krastmala street at crossing with Polu gate street (click here for the Google map link)
10:15-10:45: Short introduction of the building of the Latvian State forest built mostly of wood
10:45-11:00: Opening remarks
(Hybrid session with online participation via Zoom)
- Representative of the JSC Latvian State forest
- Āris Jansons, Director of the Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Latvia, Director of the Forestry Department of the Ministry of Agriculture, Latvia. Presentation
- Walid Oueslati, Head of the Climate, Biodiversity and Water Division, OECD Environment Directorate.
11:00-12:55: Session 1 – From a global to a local perspective on forestry
(Hybrid session with online participation via Zoom)
Moderator: Jamie Ash, Trade and Agriculture Directorate, OECD
Overview:
- Combating deforestation from a global perspective
- Forestry policies as local, effective solutions for adaptation to global climate change
- Managing hemi-boreal forests locally: challenges and lessons learned
- Synergies in climate change mitigation and resilience: the role of urban forests in a planet of cities
Keynote presentations
- Arvīds Ozols, Senior Forest Policy Expert, former Deputy State Secretary and Forest Policy Director of the Ministry of Agriculture of Lavia, former UNFF Bureau member, former Director General of the Latvian Sate Forest Service, Latvia. Presentation
- Walid Oueslati, Head of the Climate, Biodiversity and Water Division, OECD Environment Directorate. Presentation
Panel discussion
- Ewald Rametsteiner, Deputy Director, Forestry Division, FAO
- Markus Lier, DG Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission. Presentation
- Linde Zuidema, Expert, European Environment Agency. Presentation
- Thorsten Arndt, Head of advocacy, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)
- Marcus Lindner, Head of Resilience Programme, European Forest Institute, Bonn. Presentation
- Tiina Rytilä, Senior Ministerial Advisor, Ministry of Agriculture and forestry, Finland. Presentation
Q&A
12:55-13:00: Introductory presentation on the afternoon forest visit
- Aris Jansons, Director of Forestry Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Latvia. Presentation
13:00-14:00: Lunch
14:00-20:00: Getting to know hemi-boreal forests first-hand: a forest visit to see different situations depending on type of management, objectives, hydrological cycle, species etc.
20:00-21:00: Transfer to Riga (drop-off at the same location as pick-up in the morning)
End of day two
9:00-9:15: Welcome and explanation of breakout groups
Location: 2nd floor big hall, Ministry of Agriculture, Republikas laukums 2, Rīga
(Hybrid session with online participation via Zoom)
Master of Ceremony: Elisa Lanzi, Senior Economist, OECD Environment Directorate
9:15-11:30: Session 2 - Forestry in the multiple planetary crisis of climate, water, biodiversity and land use
(Hybrid session with online participation via Zoom)
Moderator: Jennie Sölving, Deputy Director, Ministry for Rural Affairs and Infrastructure, Sweden
Overview:
- Forestry and water management: forest practices and their effects on the water cycle
- Reconciling carbon sequestration and biodiversity maintenance: trade-offs and potential synergies
- Alternative land-uses: ensuring forest integrity in an era of food security pressures
Keynote speakers:
- Zuelclady M.F. Araujo Gutierrez, Research Scholar, IIASA. Presentation
- Sampsa Auvinen, Chairman of the Board of European Confederation of the Woodworking Industries (CEI-BOIS). Presentation
Explanation of breakout groups (plenary)
Breakout groups
(Facilitated by 1 facilitator and 1 rapporteur for each)
1. Climate-smart forestry
- Moderator: Daiga Zute, Researcher, Latvian State Forest Research Institute (Silava)
- Rapporteur: Giovanni Santopuoli, Researcher, University of Molise
2. Forestry & Rural development
- Moderator: Jose Enrique Garcilazo, Deputy Head of Division and Head of Regional and Rural Policy Unit, OECD
- Rapporteur: Ilze Ozola, Chairman of the Board, Latvian National Peatland Society
3. Forest sector and climate
- Moderator: Peter Holmgren, Founder and Senior Advisor, FutureVistas
- Rapporteur: Jamie Ash, Trade and Agriculture Directorate, OECD
4. Land management (online participation via Zoom)
- Moderator: Barry Gardiner
- Rapporteur: Thorsten Arndt
5. Forest multifunctionality (trade-offs)
- Moderator: Ebba Henning Planck, Head of Liaison Unit, Forest Europe
- Rapporteur: Ioannis Tikoudis, Economist, OECD Environment Directorate
6. Forest Resilience
- Moderator: Marcus Lindner, Head of Resilience Programme, European Forest Institute, Bonn
- Rapporteur: Magnus Viklund, Head of Policy Unit, Swedish Forest Agency
Summary of breakout groups (plenary)
11:30-12:00: Break
12:00-13:15: Session 3 - Forestry policies and management
(Hybrid session with online participation via Zoom)
Moderator: Tomass Kotovičs, Chief Communications Officer, JSC Latvia’s State Forest
Overview:
- Socially responsible forest harvesting: reconciling socioeconomic benefits from forest production with environmental goals
- Natural succession or active conservation? Pros, cons, and optimal solutions to protect biodiversity
- Optimal regulatory framework for forest management: prescriptive, trust-based, or a combination of both?
Keynote speakers:
- Bianca Ambrose-Oji, Head of Society and Environment Research Group, Forest Research. Presentation
- Peter Holmgren, Founder and Senior Advisor, FutureVistas. Presentation
- Florian Steierer, Economic Affairs Officer, UNECE. Presentation
Panel discussion
- Olga Bogdanova, Deputy State Secretary, Ministry of Climate and Energy, Latvia
- Kristaps Klauss, Vice-President, Latvian Forest Industry Federation
- Jose Enrique Garcilazo, Deputy Head of Division and Head of Regional and Rural Policy Unit, OECD. Presentation
- Piotr Borkowski, Executive Director, European State Forest Association (EUSTAFOR). Presentation
- Yohei Sukegawa, First Secretary, Permanent Delegation of Japan to the OECD. Presentation
- Oana Neagu, Director, Copa Cogeca
Q&A
13:15 - 13:30: Summary and conclusions with the participation of Minister of Agriculture, Armands Krauze
Summary and closing of the two day workshop by Aris Jansons, Director of Forestry Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Latvia; with the participation of Minister of Agriculture, Armands Krauze and Walid Oueslati, Head of the Climate, Biodiversity and Water Division, OECD Environment Directorate
Keynote speakers
Arvīds Ozols
Senior Forest Policy Expert, former Deputy State Secretary and Forest Policy Director of the Ministry of Agriculture of Lavia, former UNFF Bureau member, former Director General of the Latvian Sate Forest Service, Latvia
Walid Oueslati
Head of the Climate, Biodiversity and Water Division, OECD Environment Directorate
Zuelclady M.F. Araujo Gutierrez
Research Scholar, IIASA
Sampsa Auvinen
Chairman of the Board of European Confederation of the Woodworking Industries (CEI-BOIS)
Bianca Ambrose-Oji
Head of Society and Environment Research Group, Forest Research
Peter Holmgren
Founder and Senior Advisor, FutureVistas
Florian Steierer
Economic Affairs Officer, UNECE
Reach out to us
For more information, please contact Elisa Lanzi and Sora Choi of the OECD Environment Directorate.
