AUTHORS: Julia Bognar and Laure-Lou Tremblay (IEEP), Matthew Geraci (Milieu Consulting)
In July 2023, the European Commission published guidelines on Closer-to-Nature Forest (CNF) management, outlining key principles, objectives, and intervention tools as a key commitment of the Forest Strategy for 2030. In view of supporting the implementation of the CNF principles, the Commission requested an exploratory study to assess how they could be supported by existing forest certification schemes. The findings of the present study, done in collaboration with Milieu Consulting, will provide an initial evidence base as the Commission considers the next steps toward a potential CNF certification approach.
To conduct this study, existing voluntary forest certification schemes (PEFC, FSC, Ekoskog) were assessed to determine their current alignment with the EU’s CNF guidelines. In parallel, certification models from other sectors were analysed, including the EU Energy Label, NutriScore, and USDA Beef Quality Grades, to explore potential approaches towards voluntary forest certification. Lastly, potential criteria and indicators were identified for evaluating CNF practices that align with the objectives and intervention tools outlined in the CNF guidelines. These criteria and indicators could form the basis of a scoring system for a certification scheme. Based on this analysis, the report outlines three potential pathways for integrating CNF principles into voluntary forest certification:
- Aligning existing certification schemes: Collaborate with established certification schemes to improve alignment with CNF principles. This approach builds on existing infrastructure across Europe and strengthens areas where current standards already align with CNF objectives.
- Developing a new EU-level standard: Establish an entirely new certification framework fully aligned with CNF guidelines. While this would ensure consistency and strong implementation, it would require significant resources to develop and maintain.
- Introducing an EU meta-certification standard: Create a system to certify existing voluntary schemes for their compliance with CNF principles. This “certification of certification” approach could be integrated into biodiversity crediting mechanisms or the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF).
This report serves as a starting point for dialogue with key stakeholders and will help shape the Commission’s next steps in advancing closer-to-nature forestry in the EU.
