Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Clustering of EU Forest Policies in the Context of the 2030 New Forest Strategy

Jarosław Brożek, Anna Kożuch, Marek Wieruszewski (), Anna Ankudo-Jankowska and Krzysztof Adamowicz
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Jarosław Brożek: Department of Forestry Economics and Technology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznan, Poland
Anna Kożuch: Department of Forest Resources Management, Faculty of Forestry, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Avenue 29-Listopada 46, 31-425 Krakow, Poland
Marek Wieruszewski: Department of Mechanical Wood Technology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, 60-637 Poznan, Poland
Anna Ankudo-Jankowska: Department of Forestry Economics and Technology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznan, Poland
Krzysztof Adamowicz: Department of Forestry Economics and Technology, Faculty of Forestry and Wood Technology, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 28, 60-637 Poznan, Poland

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 17, 1-18

Abstract: In the face of climate challenges and growing social inequalities, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) has become a key framework for sustainable development. Within the EU, forestry—covering about one third of Europe—is increasingly addressed through ESG principles in the 2030 New EU Forest Strategy (NSF 2030). This study aims to systematize the diversity and similarities of EU Member States’ forest policies using ESG indicators aligned with NFS 2030 objectives. We do not assess policy outcomes but rather identify clusters of countries with similar forest-economy profiles to fill a research gap and support more coherent strategies. Using hierarchical clustering on selected ESG indicators, we find very high variability in EU forest policies. The results confirm that NFS 2030 can serve as an analytical tool to identify clusters of countries with similar ESG profiles and tailor policies to their contexts. The identification of eight clusters per ESG segment underscores the need for a differentiated, flexible approach to achieving common EU forest objectives. Despite similarities within clusters, diverse economic, environmental, and social conditions often require differentiated policies tailored to each country’s unique context.

Keywords: environmental; social; governance; forest policy; EU 2030 Forest Strategy; sustainable forestry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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