Dismiss, ignore or integrate – The Swedish parliamentary parties' arguments on the new EU Forest strategy for 2030

Alice Annetorp and Johanna Johansson

Forest Policy and Economics, 2025, vol. 178, issue C

Abstract: To address the critical consequences of climate change and achieve the environmental goals of Agenda 2030, the former European Commission launched the European Green Deal. To enhance the sustainable use of forests, the flagship initiative – the EU Forest Strategy for 2030 – aims to mitigate climate change and halt biodiversity loss across Europe by leveraging the role of forests. As one of Europe's most forested countries, Sweden has a significant responsibility in meeting these targets. Our study examined the perspectives and positions of Swedish parliamentary parties on the strategy and upcoming regulations, emphasizing the socio-economic functions of forests and their protection, restoration, and enlargement. The arguments were analyzed using an argumentative analysis targeting three main strategies: the adversarial strategy, the dismissive strategy, and the accommodative strategy. This analysis shows whether a political party integrates, dismisses, or ignores the political issue in their agenda. The results show that most Swedish parties expressed explicit negative concerns, arguing that the strategy threatens national sovereignty and current forest management practices of rotational forestry. Left-wing parties and the Green Party tended to integrate the issue, right-wing parties were more likely to ignore or dismiss it, and centrist parties used all three strategies, leaning towards ignoring and dismissing. By understanding these differences, we can better anticipate the implications for current and upcoming regulatory discussions and how they might shape Sweden's stance on future EU policy developments.

Keywords: Argumentative analysis; Forest strategy; Green deal; Political parties; Sweden (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:forpol:v:178:y:2025:i:c:s1389934125001601

DOI: 10.1016/j.forpol.2025.103581

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