Debate on climate-safe use of forest flares up

The Natural Resources Institute of Finland (LUKE) on Thursday reduced its earlier estimate about the carbon sink potential of Finnish forests.

The adjustment downwards means that the safe amount of forest consumption in Finland will be one or two million cubic meters less than the 83 million cubic meters the institute gave last December. The mistake in the earlier calculations were discovered by other scientists in Finland and then LUKE promised a correction.

While the current usage remains at around 73 million cubic meters, there are major industry plans that would require more.

The release of the new figures from LUKE coincided with a fresh disagreement on the forest issue between the Greens and the Center ministers in the new government.

Krista Mikkonen, the new environment minister and a Green League member, said Thursday on a TV morning show that "probably not all of the Finnish biomass plant plans would be carried out".

Katri Kulmuni, the Centrist minister for economic development, responded in the media that "there will be enough wood". Mikkonen said after her appointment that she would adhere to her view.

Markku Ollikainen, chairman of the Finnish climate panel, reminded on national radio Yle that under Finnish law the forest companies can go ahead with their investments, if they find financing.

Ollikainen noted that there are three fairly concrete major projects now, in the northern towns of Kemi and Kemijarvi and in the central eastern town of Kuopio.

Most Finnish forests are privately owned and the owners have the right to sell. Ollikainen said that the government could enter an agreement with the industries that they would not purchase more than a certain amount.

The agreement could be enforced with financial sanctions. Alternatively the government could auction carbon sink rights. The program of the new left-center government does not take a direct stand on the forest sufficiency issue, but says it will be investigated.