DN debatt: "We want to be part of FSC but the situation is unsustainable"

In the debate article, published on April 12, Holmen’s CEO Henrik Sjölund argues that while FSC has historically been important for promoting sustainable forestry, its Swedish organisation has become outdated and counterproductive in the context of modern environmental regulation. Sjölund states that Swedish forestry is already among the most strictly regulated in the world and that FSC Sweden imposes additional requirements that do not reflect today’s climate challenges.

Also, Henrik Sjölund highlights a key debate in forestry: whether forests should be preserved untouched to store carbon, or actively managed to produce wood-based products that replace fossil materials. He supports active forest management, emphasizing that sustainably managed forests can significantly reduce global CO₂ emissions by replacing fossil-based alternatives in construction, packaging, and energy. Studies, including one from European Forest Institute (2018), support this view, showing that the climate benefit of using wood often exceeds that of preserving forests.

He argues that EU policies, like the Green Deal, have strengthened forestry legislation across Europe, especially in Sweden, where deforestation has been regulated for over a century. As a result, the added value of certification systems like FSC is increasingly being questioned. Moreover, FSC criteria vary greatly between countries, and the Swedish version is notably stricter than the international standard.

Holmen has tried to engage in dialogue with FSC Sweden and the international organization but has seen little progress. Following SCA’s decision to pause its FSC certification, Holmen is now considering withdrawing as well. According to Sjölund, FSC Sweden focuses too narrowly on conservation and neglects the climate benefits of managed forestry, which risks weakening Sweden’s forestry sector and competitiveness.

He calls for a more holistic approach that balances climate benefits, biodiversity, and socio-economic values. FSC Sweden’s rigid rules, he argues, prevent responsible harvesting and shift demand to countries with lower environmental standards. Henrik Sjölund concludes by urging a reform of the FSC Sweden standard to reflect modern climate realities and invites broader cooperation between forest owners, industry, researchers, and environmental organizations to develop more forward-looking and effective certification systems.

Read the full debate article in Dagens Nyheter here.