1.2 Rehabilitation and restoration of forests, including reforestation and natural forest regeneration after an (climate change mitigation)

Kurzbeschreibung

Rehabilitation and restoration of forests as defined by national law. Where national law does not contain such a definition, rehabilitation and restoration corresponds to a definition with broad agreement in the peer-reviewed scientific literature for specific countries or a definition in line with the FAO concept of forest restoration ( 21 ) or a ( 21 ) Forest restoration includes: — rehabilitation, meaning the restoration of desired species, structures or processes to an existing ecosystem; — reconstruction, meaning restoration of native plants on land which is in another use; — reclamation, meaning restoration of severely degraded land devoid of vegetation; — most radically replacement, in which species maladapted for a given location and unable to migrate are replaced with introduced species as climates change rapidly, Forest restoration module. In Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Toolbox (version of 4.6.2021: http://www.fao.org/sustainable- forest-management/toolbox/modules/forest-restoration/basic-knowledge/en/). definition in line with one of the definitions of ecological restoration ( 22 ) applied to forest, or forest rehabili­ tation ( 23 ) under the Convention on Biological Diversity ( 24 ). The economic activities in this category also include forest activities in line with the FAO definition of ‘reforestation’ ( 25 ) and ‘naturally regenerating forest’ ( 26 ) after an extreme event, where extreme event is defined by national law, and where national law does not contain such a definition, is in line with the IPCC definition of extreme weather event ( 27 ); or after a wildfire, where wildfire is defined by national law, and where national law does not contain such a definition, as defined in the European Glossary for wildfires and forest fires ( 28 ). The economic activities in this category imply no change of land use and occurs on degraded land matching the forest definition as set out in national law, or where not available, in accordance with the FAO definition of forest ( 29 ). The economic activities in this category could be associated with NACE code A2 in accordance with the statistical classification of economic activities established by Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006. The economic activities in this category are limited to NACE II 02.10, i.e. silviculture and other forestry activities, 02.20, i.e. logging, 02.30, i.e. gathering of wild growing non-wood products and 02.40, i.e. support services to forestry. ( 22 ) Ecological Restoration (Also Ecosystem Restoration): — the process of returning an ecosystem to a natural pre-disturbance structure and function; — the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed; — the process of intentionally altering a site to establish a defined, indigenous ecosystem. The goal of this process is to emulate the structure, function, diversity and dynamics of the specified ecosystem; — human intervention … designed to accelerate the recovery of damaged habitats, or to bring ecosystems back to as close an approximation as possible of their pre-disturbance states, Most used definitions/descriptions of key terms related to ecosystem restoration. 11 th conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. 2012. UNEP/CBD/COP/11/INF/19 (version of 4.6.2021: https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/cop/cop-11/ information/cop-11-inf-19-en.pdf). ( 23 ) Forest rehabilitation is the process of restoring the capacity of a forest to provide goods and services again, where the state of the rehabilitated forest is not identical to its state before degradation, Most used definitions/descriptions of key terms related to ecosystem restoration. 11 th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. 2012. UNEP/CBD/COP/11/INF/19 (version of 4.6.2021: https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/cop/cop-11/ information/cop-11-inf-19-en.pdf). ( 24 ) (version of 4.6.2021: https://www.cbd.int/convention/text/). ( 25 ) Re-establishment of forest through planting and/or deliberate seeding on land classified as forest, FAO Global Resources Assessment 2020. Terms and definitions (version of 4.6.2021: http://www.fao.org/3/I8661EN/i8661en.pdf). ( 26 ) Forest predominantly composed of trees established through natural regeneration, FAO Global Resources Assessment 2020. Terms and definitions (version of 4.6.2021: http://www.fao.org/3/I8661EN/i8661en.pdf). ( 27 ) An extreme weather event is an event that is rare at a particular place and time of year. Definitions of rare vary, but an extreme weather event would normally be as rare as or rarer than the 10th or 90th percentile of a probability density function estimated from observations. By definition, the characteristics of what is called extreme weather may vary from place to place in an absolute sense. When a pattern of extreme weather persists for some time, such as a season, it may be classed as an extreme climate event, especially if it yields an average or total that is itself extreme (e.g., drought or heavy rainfall over a season). See IPCC, 2018: Annex I: Glossary (version of 4.6.2021: https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/glossary/). ( 28 ) Any uncontrolled vegetation fire which requires a decision or action regarding suppression, 2012 European Glossary for wildfires and forest fires, developed under the European Forest Fire Network- ‘EUFOFINET’ project, as part of the INTERREG IVC programme (version of 4.6.2021: https://www.ctif.org/index.php/library/european-glossary-wildfires-and-forest-fires). ( 29 ) Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than five meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 %, or trees able to reach those thresholds in situ. It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use, FAO Global Resources Assessment 2020. Terms and definitions (version of 4.6.2021: http://www.fao.org/3/I8661EN/i8661en.pdf).

Wirtschaftsaktivität (EU-Taxonomie)

Rechtsakt: 2021/2139, Anhang I, Abschnitt 1.2 · FORESTRY

Umweltziel: climate change mitigation

Beschreibung

Rehabilitation and restoration of forests as defined by national law. Where national law does not contain such a definition, rehabilitation and restoration corresponds to a definition with broad agreement in the peer-reviewed scientific literature for specific countries or a definition in line with the FAO concept of forest restoration ( 21 ) or a ( 21 ) Forest restoration includes: — rehabilitation, meaning the restoration of desired species, structures or processes to an existing ecosystem; — reconstruction, meaning restoration of native plants on land which is in another use; — reclamation, meaning restoration of severely degraded land devoid of vegetation; — most radically replacement, in which species maladapted for a given location and unable to migrate are replaced with introduced species as climates change rapidly, Forest restoration module. In Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) Toolbox (version of 4.6.2021: http://www.fao.org/sustainable- forest-management/toolbox/modules/forest-restoration/basic-knowledge/en/). definition in line with one of the definitions of ecological restoration ( 22 ) applied to forest, or forest rehabili­ tation ( 23 ) under the Convention on Biological Diversity ( 24 ). The economic activities in this category also include forest activities in line with the FAO definition of ‘reforestation’ ( 25 ) and ‘naturally regenerating forest’ ( 26 ) after an extreme event, where extreme event is defined by national law, and where national law does not contain such a definition, is in line with the IPCC definition of extreme weather event ( 27 ); or after a wildfire, where wildfire is defined by national law, and where national law does not contain such a definition, as defined in the European Glossary for wildfires and forest fires ( 28 ). The economic activities in this category imply no change of land use and occurs on degraded land matching the forest definition as set out in national law, or where not available, in accordance with the FAO definition of forest ( 29 ). The economic activities in this category could be associated with NACE code A2 in accordance with the statistical classification of economic activities established by Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006. The economic activities in this category are limited to NACE II 02.10, i.e. silviculture and other forestry activities, 02.20, i.e. logging, 02.30, i.e. gathering of wild growing non-wood products and 02.40, i.e. support services to forestry. ( 22 ) Ecological Restoration (Also Ecosystem Restoration): — the process of returning an ecosystem to a natural pre-disturbance structure and function; — the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed; — the process of intentionally altering a site to establish a defined, indigenous ecosystem. The goal of this process is to emulate the structure, function, diversity and dynamics of the specified ecosystem; — human intervention … designed to accelerate the recovery of damaged habitats, or to bring ecosystems back to as close an approximation as possible of their pre-disturbance states, Most used definitions/descriptions of key terms related to ecosystem restoration. 11 th conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. 2012. UNEP/CBD/COP/11/INF/19 (version of 4.6.2021: https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/cop/cop-11/ information/cop-11-inf-19-en.pdf). ( 23 ) Forest rehabilitation is the process of restoring the capacity of a forest to provide goods and services again, where the state of the rehabilitated forest is not identical to its state before degradation, Most used definitions/descriptions of key terms related to ecosystem restoration. 11 th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity. 2012. UNEP/CBD/COP/11/INF/19 (version of 4.6.2021: https://www.cbd.int/doc/meetings/cop/cop-11/ information/cop-11-inf-19-en.pdf). ( 24 ) (version of 4.6.2021: https://www.cbd.int/convention/text/). ( 25 ) Re-establishment of forest through planting and/or deliberate seeding on land classified as forest, FAO Global Resources Assessment 2020. Terms and definitions (version of 4.6.2021: http://www.fao.org/3/I8661EN/i8661en.pdf). ( 26 ) Forest predominantly composed of trees established through natural regeneration, FAO Global Resources Assessment 2020. Terms and definitions (version of 4.6.2021: http://www.fao.org/3/I8661EN/i8661en.pdf). ( 27 ) An extreme weather event is an event that is rare at a particular place and time of year. Definitions of rare vary, but an extreme weather event would normally be as rare as or rarer than the 10th or 90th percentile of a probability density function estimated from observations. By definition, the characteristics of what is called extreme weather may vary from place to place in an absolute sense. When a pattern of extreme weather persists for some time, such as a season, it may be classed as an extreme climate event, especially if it yields an average or total that is itself extreme (e.g., drought or heavy rainfall over a season). See IPCC, 2018: Annex I: Glossary (version of 4.6.2021: https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/chapter/glossary/). ( 28 ) Any uncontrolled vegetation fire which requires a decision or action regarding suppression, 2012 European Glossary for wildfires and forest fires, developed under the European Forest Fire Network- ‘EUFOFINET’ project, as part of the INTERREG IVC programme (version of 4.6.2021: https://www.ctif.org/index.php/library/european-glossary-wildfires-and-forest-fires). ( 29 ) Land spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than five meters and a canopy cover of more than 10 %, or trees able to reach those thresholds in situ. It does not include land that is predominantly under agricultural or urban land use, FAO Global Resources Assessment 2020. Terms and definitions (version of 4.6.2021: http://www.fao.org/3/I8661EN/i8661en.pdf).

Technische Bewertungskriterien

Technical screening criteria Substantial contribution to climate change mitigation 1. Forest management plan or equivalent instrument 1.1. The activity takes place on area that is subject to a forest management plan or an equivalent instrument, as set out in national law or, where national law does not define a forest management plan or equivalent instrument, as referred to in the FAO definition of ‘forest area with long-term forest management plan’ ( 30 ). The forest management plan or the equivalent instrument covers a period of 10 years or more, and is continuously updated. 1.2. Information is provided on the following points that are not already documented in the forest management plan or equivalent system: (a) management goals, including major constraints ( 31 ); (b) general strategies and activities planned to reach the management goals, including expected operations over the whole forest cycle; (c) definition of the forest habitat context, including main existing and intended forest tree species, and their extent and distribution; (d) definition of the area according to its gazetting in the land registry; (e) compartments, roads, rights of way and other public access, physical features including waterways, areas under legal and other restrictions; (f) measures deployed to maintain the good condition of forest ecosystems; (g) consideration of societal issues (including preservation of landscape, consultation of stakeholders in accordance with the terms and conditions laid down in national law); (h) assessment of forest related risks, including forest fires, and pests and diseases outbreaks, with the aim of preventing, reducing and controlling the risks and measures deployed to ensure protection and adaptation against residual risks; (i) all DNSH criteria relevant to forest management. 1.3. The sustainability of the forest management systems, as documented in the plan referred to in point 1.1, is ensured by choosing the most ambitious of the following approaches: (a) the forest management matches the applicable national definition of sustainable forest management; (b) the forest management matches the Forest Europe definition ( 32 ) of sustainable forest management, and complies with the Pan-European Operational Level Guidelines for Sustainable Forest Management ( 33 ); _____________ ( 30 ) Forest area that has a long-term (ten years or more) documented management plan, aiming at defined management goals, and which is periodically revised. FAO Global Resources Assessment 2020. Terms and definitions (version of 4.6.2021: http://www.fao.org/3/I8661EN/i8661en.pdf). ( 31 ) Including an analysis of (i) long term sustainability of the wood resource (ii) impacts/pressures on habitat conservation, diversity of associated habitats and condition of harvesting minimizing soil impacts. ( 32 ) The stewardship and use of forests and forest lands in a way, and at a rate, that maintains their biodiversity, productivity, regeneration capacity, vitality and their potential to fulfil, now and in the future, relevant ecological, economic and social functions, at local, national, and global levels, and that does not cause damage to other ecosystems. Resolution H1 General Guidelines for the Sustainable Management of Forests in Europe Second Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe (Forest Europe), 16-17 June 1993, Helsinki/Finland (version of 4.6.2021: https://www.foresteurope.org/docs/ MC/MC_helsinki_resolutionH1.pdf ). ( 33 ) Annex 2 of the Resolution L2. Pan-European Operational Level Guidelines for Sustainable Forest Management. Third Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe 2-4 June 1998, Lisbon/Portugal (version of 4.6.2021: https://foresteurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/MC_lisbon_resolutionL2_with_annexes.pdf#page=18). (c) the management system in place complies with the forest sustainability criteria laid down in Article 29(6) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001, and as of the date of its application with the implementing act on operational guidance for energy from forest biomass adopted under Article 29(8) of that Directive. 1.4. The activity does not involve the degradation of land with high carbon stock ( 34 ). 1.5. The management system associated with the activity in place complies with the due diligence obligation and legality requirements laid down in Regulation (EU) No 995/2010. 1.6. The forest management plan or equivalent instrument provides for monitoring which ensures the correctness of the information contained in the plan, in particular as regards the data relating to the involved area. 2. Climate benefit analysis 2.1. For areas that comply with the requirements at forest sourcing area level to ensure that carbon stocks and sinks levels in the forest are maintained or strengthened over the long term in accordance with Article 29(7), point (b), of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 the activity complies with the following criteria: (a) the climate benefit analysis demonstrates that the net balance of GHG emissions and removals generated by the activity over a period of 30 years after the beginning of the activity is lower than a baseline, corresponding to the balance of GHG emissions and removals over a period of 30 years starting at the beginning of the activity, associated to the business-as-usual practices that would have occurred on the involved area in the absence of the activity; (b) long-term climate benefits are considered demonstrated by proof of alignment with Article 29(7), point (b), of Directive (EU) 2018/2001. 2.2. For areas that do not comply with the requirements at forest sourcing area level to ensure that carbon stocks and sinks levels in the forest are maintained or strengthened over the long term in accordance with Article 29(7), point (b), of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 the activity complies with the following criteria: (a) the climate benefit analysis demonstrates that the net balance of GHG emissions and removals generated by the activity over a period of 30 years after the beginning of the activity is lower than a baseline, corresponding to the balance of GHG emissions and removals over a period of 30 years starting at the beginning of the activity, associated to the business-as-usual practices that would have occurred on the involved area in the absence of the activity. (b) the projected long-term average net GHG balance of the activity is lower than the long-term average GHG balance projected for the baseline, referred to in point 2.2, where long term corresponds to the longer duration between 100 years and the duration of an entire forest cycle. 2.3. The calculation of climate benefit complies with all of the following criteria: (a) the analysis is consistent with the 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories ( 35 ). The climate benefit analysis is based on transparent, accurate, consistent, complete and comparable information, covers all carbon pools impacted by the activity, including above-ground biomass, below-ground biomass, deadwood, litter and soil, relies on the most conservative assumptions for calculations and includes appropriate considerations about the risks of non-permanence and reversals of carbon seques­ tration, the risk of saturation and the risk of leakage. (b) the business-as-usual practices, including harvesting practices, are one of the following: (i) the management practices as documented in the latest version of the forest management plan or equivalent instrument before the start of the activity, if any; _____________ ( 34 ) Land with high-carbon stock means wetlands, including peatland, and continuously forested areas within the meaning of Article 29(4)(a), (b) and (c) of Directive (EU) 2018/2001. ( 35 ) 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (version of 4.6.2021: https://www.ipcc-nggip.iges.or.jp/public/2019rf/). (ii) the most recent business-as-usual practices prior to the start of the activity; (iii) the practices corresponding to a management system ensuring that carbon stocks and sinks levels in the forest area are maintained or strengthened over the long term as set out in Article 29(7), point (b), of Directive (EU) 2018/2001. (c) the resolution of the analysis is proportionate to the size of the area concerned and values specific to the area concerned are used. (d) emissions and removals that occur due to natural disturbances, such as pests and diseases infestations, forest fires, wind, storm damages, that impact the area and cause underperformance do not result in non- compliance with Regulation (EU) 2020/852, provided that the climate benefit analysis is consistent with the 2019 Refinement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories regarding emissions and removals due to natural disturbances. 2.4. Forest holdings under 13ha are not required to perform a climate benefit analysis. 3. Guarantee of permanence 3.1. In accordance with national law, the forest status of the area in which the activity takes place is guaranteed by one of the following measures: (a) the area is classified in the permanent forest estate as defined by the FAO ( 36 ); (b) the area is classified as a protected area; (c) the area is the subject of any legal or contractual guarantee ensuring that it will remain a forest. 3.2. In accordance with national law, the operator of the activity commits that future updates to the forest management plan or equivalent instrument, beyond the activity that is financed, will continue to seek the climate benefits as determined in point 2. Besides, the operator of the activity commits to compensate any reduction in the climate benefit determined in point 2 with an equivalent climate benefit resulting from the conduct of an activity that corresponds to one of the forestry activities defined in this Regulation. 4. Audit Within two years after the beginning of the activity and every 10 years thereafter, the compliance of the activity with the substantial contribution to climate change mitigation criteria and the DNSH criteria are verified by either of the following: (a) the relevant national competent authorities; (b) an independent third-party certifier, at the request of national authorities or the operator of the activity. In order to reduce costs, audits may be performed together with any forest certification, climate certification or other audit. The independent third-party certifier may not have any conflict of interest with the owner or the funder, and may not be involved in the development or operation of the activity. 5.Group assessment The compliance with the criteria for substantial contribution to climate change mitigation and with DNSH criteria may be checked: (a) at the level of the forest sourcing area ( 37 ) as defined in Article 2, point (30), of Directive (EU) 2018/2001; _____________ ( 36 ) Forest area that is designated to be retained as forest and may not be converted to other land use, (FAO Global Resources Assessment 2020. Terms and definitions version of 4.6.2021: http://www.fao.org/3/I8661EN/i8661en.pdf). ( 37 ) ‘Sourcing area’ means the geographically defined area from which the forest biomass feedstock is sourced, from which reliable and independent information is available and where conditions are sufficiently homogeneous to evaluate the risk of the sustainability and legality characteristics of the forest biomass. (b) at the level of a group of holdings sufficiently homogeneous to evaluate the risk of the sustainability of the forest activity, provided that all those holdings have a durable relationship between them and participate in the activity and the group of those holdings remains the same for all subsequent audits. Do no significant harm (‘DNSH’) (2) Climate change adaptation The activity complies with the criteria set out in Appendix A to this Annex. (3) Sustainable use and protection of water and marine resources The activity complies with the criteria set out in Appendix B to this Annex. Detailed information referred to in point 1.2. (i) includes provisions to comply with the criteria set out in Appendix B to this Annex. (4) Transition to a circular economy The silvicultural change induced by the activity on the area covered by the activity is not likely to result in a significant reduction of sustainable supply of primary forest biomass suitable for the manufacturing of wood-based products with long-term circularity potential. This criterion may be demonstrated through the climate benefits analysis referred to in point (2). (5) Pollution prevention and control The use of pesticides is reduced and alternative approaches or techniques, which may include non-chemical alternatives to pesticides, are favoured, in accordance with Directive 2009/128/EC, with exception of occasions where the use of pesticides is needed to control outbreaks of pests and of diseases. The activity minimises the use of fertilisers and does not use manure. The activity complies with Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 or national rules on fertilisers or soil improvers for agricultural use. Well documented and verifiable measures are taken to avoid the use of active ingredients that are listed in the Annex I, part A, of Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 ( 38 ), the Rotterdam Convention on the prior informed consent procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, and of active ingredients that are listed as classification Ia (‘extremely hazardous’) or Ib (‘highly hazardous’) in the WHO Recommended Classification of Pesticides by Hazard. The activity complies with the relevant national law on active ingredients. Pollution of water and soil is prevented and cleaning up measures are undertaken when pollution occurs. (6) Protection and restoration of biodiversity and ecosystems In areas designated by the national competent authority for conservation or in habitats that are protected, the activity is in accordance with the conservation objectives for those areas. There is no conversion of habitats specifically sensitive to biodiversity loss or with high conservation value, or of areas set aside for the restoration of such habitats in accordance with national law. _____________ ( 38 ) Which implements in the Union the Stockholm Convention on persistent organic pollutants (OJ L 209, 31.7.2006, p. 3). Detailed information referred to in point 1.2.(i) includes provisions for maintaining and possibly enhancing biodiversity in accordance with national and local provisions, including the following: (a) ensuring the good conservation status of habitat and species, main­ tenance of typical habitat species; (b) excluding the use or release of invasive alien species; (c) excluding the use of non-native species unless it can be demonstrated that: (i) the use of the forest reproductive material leads to favourable and appropriate ecosystem conditions (such as climate, soil criteria and vegetation zone, forest fire resilience); (ii) the native species currently present on the site are not anymore adapted to projected climatic and pedo-hydrological conditions. (d) ensuring the maintenance and improvement of physical, chemical and biological quality of the soil; (e) promoting biodiversity-friendly practices that enhance forests’ natural processes; (f) excluding the conversion of high-biodiverse ecosystems into less biodiverse ones; (g) ensuring the diversity of associated habitats and species linked to the forest; (h) ensuring the diversity of stand structures and maintenance or enhancing of mature stage stands and dead wood.