An outlook on modalities in Nordic forest governance

The 1990s were significant for several events promoting environmental protection and the sustainable use of natural resources. For instance, both the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in 1992, which stressed the need to stop the overconsumption of natural resources and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change endorsed a framework to combat climate change. Since then, national governments have been increasingly called upon to deliver various commitments that can strengthen sustainable use of forest resources. While we must assess the capacity of these commitments to achieve various policy targets, it is not entirely clear what modes of forest governance will emerge in this process. Using the case of Nordic Forest governance, we investigate its modalities and influence on forest use between 1970 and 2023, focusing on a shift from state-based to interactive governance. While state-based governance included the use of conventional state arrangements tackling environmental problems in active forestry, interactive governance consisted of policy mixes aimed at climate-smart and multi-use forest management. We discuss our findings using relevant forest policies identified in four Nordic countries; Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, drawn from qualitative interviews conducted in 2023. The conclusions suggest the future potential for policy mixes in which they play a vital role in promoting best synergies and setting priorities for sustainable Nordic forest management.