Implications of the European green deal for forest policy and management across the Baltic States: A nexus perspective

Nexus approaches to resource management have gained significant attention in recent years, emphasizing the integration of sectors and stakeholders to achieve sustainability goals. Similarly, the European Green Deal aims to guide the EU in meeting the climate objectives of the Paris Agreement, targeting net-zero emissions by 2050, and stressing the need for broad policy and stakeholder support across Europe. Essential for biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration, forests play a crucial role in this effort. Previous research has identified several challenges associated with the Green Deal, particularly concerning forest management and cross-sectoral collaboration; however, pathways for implementing EU sustainability targets related to forest management remain largely unexplored, especially in countries undergoing post-Soviet transitions and European integration. This paper analyses the local impacts of the Green Deal in the Baltic States and the challenges of integrating international sustainability guidelines, with a focus on the forest sector. Through 25 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, four primary challenges were identified: (1) perceptions of the Green Deal as overly ideological; (2) lack of clarity in definitions, timelines, and responsibilities for member states; (3) insufficient tools and resources for cross-sectoral collaboration; and (4) the absence of policy discussions addressing the importance of forests for security concerns, particularly in relation to external events such as wars and climate instability. These findings highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to forest policy and management that recognizes forests' diverse benefits and involves local stakeholders in implementing international environmental agreements.