Even more. The world is inevitably changing and doing so rapidly. A slow but firm ‘no’ has been said to the fossil-fuel economy. Why? The moment is inevitably approaching when oil and gas will simply run out. The alternative is a bio-economy, where wood as a resource plays the primary role – eventually replacing everything we currently get from oil. We can be happy that Europe is emerging as a world leader in the bio-economy and circular economy – it is not only our home but also the main market for the products we produce.

So we need to ask ourselves a different, much more important question. Do we want to produce these everyday wood products, which are increasingly in demand in Europe and in Latvia?

To provide the jobs, taxes and investment that boost our society’s prosperity? Our answer is “yes”! We don’t want to go down the destructive road of ‘Russian gas’, increasing our dependence on imports from distant, not always friendly, countries, which includes wood products at home and in Europe. We don’t want to be buyers nor beggars, no matter how much someone may tell us it’s the ‘right’ way. We are producers and innovators!

Latvia’s most precious natural resource is our fertile land.

We have all the ingredients to be a world leader in bio-economy. But, this requires the efficient use of fertile land and the highest possible level of added value in wood processing.

Civil servants in Brussels are increasingly taking the path of bureaucratic regulation, including with regard to nature protection and climate targets. We support an understanding of balanced sustainability, but we strongly disagree with a Europe-wide approach that directly restricts our right to be stewards of our own land. Environmental and climate objectives cannot be achieved in the same way in the South and North of the continent. We need to act locally, understanding the current situation and future opportunities both in each region and in each country.

This is why Latvia’s decisions must be based on local scientific research.

They cannot be carried out by individual ‘experts’, and they cannot be campaign-like or the result of a political agreement in the run-up to an election. Only scientific institutions with a long history of economic and land-use research can provide objective data and conclusions. We trust science, not assumptions.

It is time to make bold and thoughtful decisions FOR Latvia’s economic viability, public welfare and security.

All of us – politicians, civil servants, businesses, representatives of education and science – must work together to promote the development of a local bio-economy because this IS an opportunity for Latvia. We must not put ourselves in a losing position.

“No to oil, yes to wood!”

This is our message – to Latvia, to Europe, and to the world! It is both an opportunity and also our responsibility to future generations.

Chairman of the Board of the Forest Owners’ Association Arnis Muižnieks
Vice-President of the Latvian Forest Industry Federation Kristaps Klauss
Chairman of the Supervisory Board of JSC Latvijas Finieris Uldis Biķis
Chairman of the Board of JSC Latvijas valsts meži Pēteris Putniņš