• 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:

  • Climate Benefit Analysis

    (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;

    OBJECTIVE 2. FOREST HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY

    OBJECTIVE 4. CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

    Performance Measure 2.1. Certified Organizations shall promptly reforest after final harvest.

    Performance Measure 2.2. Certified Organizations shall have a program to minimize chemical use required to achieve management objectives while protecting employees, neighbors, the public and the environment, including wildlife and aquatic habitats.

    Performance Measure 2.3. Certified Organizations shall implement practices that protect and maintain forest and soil productivity and soil health.

    Performance Measure 2.4. Certified Organizations shall manage to protect forests from damaging agents, such as environmentally or economically undesirable levels of wildfire, pests, diseases, and invasive species, to maintain and improve long-term forest health, productivity, and economic viability.

    Performance Measure 2.5. Certified Organizations that deploy improved planting stock, including varietal seedlings, shall use best scientific methods.

    Performance Measure 4.1. Certified Organizations shall conserve biological diversity.

    Performance Measure 4.2. Certified Organizations shall protect threatened and endangered species, critically imperiled and imperiled species (Forests with Exceptional Conservation Values), and natural communities, and old-growth forests.

    Performance Measure 4.3. Certified Organizations shall manage to protect ecologically important sites in a manner that takes into account their unique qualities.

    Performance Measure 4.4. Certified Organizations shall apply knowledge gained through research, science, technology, field experience and the results of monitoring of the effectiveness of conservation-related programs to manage wildlife habitat and contribute to the conservation of biological diversity.

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  • Climate Benefit Analysis

    (b)      long-term climate benefits are considered demonstrated by proof of alignment with Article 29(7), point (b), of Directive (EU) 2018/2001.

    OBJECTIVE 2. FOREST HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY

    OBJECTIVE 4. CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

    Performance Measure 2.1. Certified Organizations shall promptly reforest after final harvest.

    Performance Measure 2.2. Certified Organizations shall have a program to minimize chemical use required to achieve management objectives while protecting employees, neighbors, the public and the environment, including wildlife and aquatic habitats.

    Performance Measure 2.3. Certified Organizations shall implement practices that protect and maintain forest and soil productivity and soil health.

    Performance Measure 2.4. Certified Organizations shall manage to protect forests from damaging agents, such as environmentally or economically undesirable levels of wildfire, pests, diseases, and invasive species, to maintain and improve long-term forest health, productivity, and economic viability.

    Performance Measure 2.5. Certified Organizations that deploy improved planting stock, including varietal seedlings, shall use best scientific methods.

    Performance Measure 4.1. Certified Organizations shall conserve biological diversity.

    Performance Measure 4.2. Certified Organizations shall protect threatened and endangered species, critically imperiled and imperiled species (Forests with Exceptional Conservation Values), and natural communities, and old-growth forests.

    Performance Measure 4.3. Certified Organizations shall manage to protect ecologically important sites in a manner that takes into account their unique qualities.

    Performance Measure 4.4. Certified Organizations shall apply knowledge gained through research, science, technology, field experience and the results of monitoring of the effectiveness of conservation-related programs to manage wildlife habitat and contribute to the conservation of biological diversity.

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  • Climate Benefit Analysis

    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:

    OBJECTIVE 2. FOREST HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY

    OBJECTIVE 4. CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

    Performance Measure 2.1. Certified Organizations shall promptly reforest after final harvest.

    Performance Measure 2.2. Certified Organizations shall have a program to minimize chemical use required to achieve management objectives while protecting employees, neighbors, the public and the environment, including wildlife and aquatic habitats.

    Performance Measure 2.3. Certified Organizations shall implement practices that protect and maintain forest and soil productivity and soil health.

    Performance Measure 2.4. Certified Organizations shall manage to protect forests from damaging agents, such as environmentally or economically undesirable levels of wildfire, pests, diseases, and invasive species, to maintain and improve long-term forest health, productivity, and economic viability.

    Performance Measure 2.5. Certified Organizations that deploy improved planting stock, including varietal seedlings, shall use best scientific methods.

    Performance Measure 4.1. Certified Organizations shall conserve biological diversity.

    Performance Measure 4.2. Certified Organizations shall protect threatened and endangered species, critically imperiled and imperiled species (Forests with Exceptional Conservation Values), and natural communities, and old-growth forests.

    Performance Measure 4.3. Certified Organizations shall manage to protect ecologically important sites in a manner that takes into account their unique qualities.

    Performance Measure 4.4. Certified Organizations shall apply knowledge gained through research, science, technology, field experience and the results of monitoring of the effectiveness of conservation-related programs to manage wildlife habitat and contribute to the conservation of biological diversity.

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  • Climate Benefit Analysis

    (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.

    OBJECTIVE 2. FOREST HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY

    OBJECTIVE 4. CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

    Performance Measure 2.1. Certified Organizations shall promptly reforest after final harvest.

    Performance Measure 2.2. Certified Organizations shall have a program to minimize chemical use required to achieve management objectives while protecting employees, neighbors, the public and the environment, including wildlife and aquatic habitats.

    Performance Measure 2.3. Certified Organizations shall implement practices that protect and maintain forest and soil productivity and soil health.

    Performance Measure 2.4. Certified Organizations shall manage to protect forests from damaging agents, such as environmentally or economically undesirable levels of wildfire, pests, diseases, and invasive species, to maintain and improve long-term forest health, productivity, and economic viability.

    Performance Measure 2.5. Certified Organizations that deploy improved planting stock, including varietal seedlings, shall use best scientific methods.

    Performance Measure 4.1. Certified Organizations shall conserve biological diversity.

    Performance Measure 4.2. Certified Organizations shall protect threatened and endangered species, critically imperiled and imperiled species (Forests with Exceptional Conservation Values), and natural communities, and old-growth forests.

    Performance Measure 4.3. Certified Organizations shall manage to protect ecologically important sites in a manner that takes into account their unique qualities.

    Performance Measure 4.4. Certified Organizations shall apply knowledge gained through research, science, technology, field experience and the results of monitoring of the effectiveness of conservation-related programs to manage wildlife habitat and contribute to the conservation of biological diversity.

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  • Climate Benefit Analysis

    (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.

    OBJECTIVE 2. FOREST HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY

    OBJECTIVE 4. CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

    Performance Measure 2.1. Certified Organizations shall promptly reforest after final harvest.

    Performance Measure 2.2. Certified Organizations shall have a program to minimize chemical use required to achieve management objectives while protecting employees, neighbors, the public and the environment, including wildlife and aquatic habitats.

    Performance Measure 2.3. Certified Organizations shall implement practices that protect and maintain forest and soil productivity and soil health.

    Performance Measure 2.4. Certified Organizations shall manage to protect forests from damaging agents, such as environmentally or economically undesirable levels of wildfire, pests, diseases, and invasive species, to maintain and improve long-term forest health, productivity, and economic viability.

    Performance Measure 2.5. Certified Organizations that deploy improved planting stock, including varietal seedlings, shall use best scientific methods.

    Performance Measure 4.1. Certified Organizations shall conserve biological diversity.

    Performance Measure 4.2. Certified Organizations shall protect threatened and endangered species, critically imperiled and imperiled species (Forests with Exceptional Conservation Values), and natural communities, and old-growth forests.

    Performance Measure 4.3. Certified Organizations shall manage to protect ecologically important sites in a manner that takes into account their unique qualities.

    Performance Measure 4.4. Certified Organizations shall apply knowledge gained through research, science, technology, field experience and the results of monitoring of the effectiveness of conservation-related programs to manage wildlife habitat and contribute to the conservation of biological diversity.

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  • Climate Benefit Analysis

    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 (10). 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.

    OBJECTIVE 9. CLIMATE SMART

    Performance Measure 9.1 Certified Organizations shall individually and/or through cooperative efforts involving SFI Implementation Committees or other partners identify and address the climate change risks to forests and forest operations and develop appropriate adaptation objectives and strategies. Strategies are based on best scientific information.

    Indicator 1. Based on best scientific information, Certified Organizations shall identify climate change risks and prioritize them based on the likelihood, nature, severity of their expected impact to their forest lands or forest tenures.

    Indicator 2. Certified Organizations shall develop an adaptation plan to address priority climate change risks, via effective implementation of the SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard requirements for potential adaptive management including: a. periodic updates of forest inventory and recalculation of planned harvests as appropriate to account for changes in growth due to productivity increases or decreases, including improved data, long-term drought, fertilization, climate change, or forest health; b. access to growth and yield modeling capabilities; c. documented harvest trends within long-term sustainable levels identified in the forest management plan, and d. appropriate research, testing, evaluation, and deployment of improved planting stock, including varietal seedlings.

    Indicator 3. Certified Organizations shall document how their adaptation plan objectives and strategies fit within broader regional climate adaptation strategies and plans, where they exist.

    Indicator 4. Certified Organizations shall report annually to SFI Inc. their progress towards achieving climate change adaptation strategies and plans.

    Performance Measure 9.2 Certified Organizations shall individually and/or through cooperative efforts involving SFI Implementation Committees or other partners identify and address opportunities to mitigate the effects associated with its forest operations on climate change.

    Indicator 1. Based on best scientific information, Certified Organizations shall identify and address opportunities to enhance the climate benefits associated with forest management operations on the forests they own or manage via effective implementation of the SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard requirements such as: a. Objective 2 – Forest Health and Productivity; Objective 10 – Fire Resilience and Awareness; and/or other silvicultural or operational practices to enhance the climate benefits associated with their forest operations.

    Indicator 2. Based on best scientific information, Certified Organizations shall identify and address opportunities to enhance ecosystem resilience for the forests they own or manage via effective implementation of the SFI 2022 Forest Management Standard requirements including: a. prompt reforestation or planned natural reforestation as per Indicator 2.1.1; b. adequate regeneration and appropriate actions to correct understocked areas, and c. evaluation for afforestation of areas that are not ecologically important, and d. protection of desirable or planned advanced regeneration during harvest and the retention of vigorous trees during partial harvest.

    Indicator 3. Based on best scientific information, Certified Organizations shall develop a program to identify and address greenhouse gas emissions within their operational control.

    Indicator 4. Certified Organizations shall report annually to SFI Inc. their measures to mitigate climate change associated with forest operations.

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  • Climate Benefit Analysis

    (b) the business as-usual practices, including harvesting practices, are ones 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; (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.

    OBJECTIVE 9. CLIMATE SMART

    Performance Measure 9.1 Certified Organizations shall individually and/or through cooperative efforts involving SFI Implementation Committees or other partners identify and address the climate change risks to forests and forest operations and develop appropriate adaptation objectives and strategies. Strategies are based on best scientific information.

    Performance Measure 9.2 Certified Organizations shall individually and/or through cooperative efforts involving SFI Implementation Committees or other partners identify and address opportunities to mitigate the effects associated with its forest operations on climate change.

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  • Climate Benefit Analysis

    (c) the resolution of the analysis is proportionate to the size of the area concerned and values specific to the area concerned are used.

    OBJECTIVE 9. CLIMATE SMART

    Performance Measure 9.1 Certified Organizations shall individually and/or through cooperative efforts involving SFI Implementation Committees or other partners identify and address the climate change risks to forests and forest operations and develop appropriate adaptation objectives and strategies. Strategies are based on best scientific information.

    Performance Measure 9.2 Certified Organizations shall individually and/or through cooperative efforts involving SFI Implementation Committees or other partners identify and address opportunities to mitigate the effects associated with its forest operations on climate change.

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  • Climate Benefit Analysis

    (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.

    OBJECTIVE 1. FOREST MANAGEMENT PLANNING

    OBJECTIVE 2. FOREST HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY

    Performance Measure 1.1. Certified Organizations shall ensure that forest management plans include long-term harvest levels that are sustainable and consistent with appropriate growth-and-yield models.

    Performance Measure 1.2. Certified Organizations shall not convert one forest cover type to another forest cover type unless an assessment has been conducted to determine ecological impacts and provide appropriate justification.

    Performance Measure 1.4. Certified Organizations shall not afforest in locations which negatively impact ecologically important natural communities, threatened and endangered species, or native natural communities which could be at risk of becoming rare.

    Performance Measure 2.1. Certified Organizations shall promptly reforest after final harvest.

    Performance Measure 2.2. Certified Organizations shall have a program to minimize chemical use required to achieve management objectives while protecting employees, neighbors, the public and the environment, including wildlife and aquatic habitats.

    Performance Measure 2.3. Certified Organizations shall implement practices that protect and maintain forest and soil productivity and soil health.

    Performance Measure 2.4. Certified Organizations shall manage to protect forests from damaging agents, such as environmentally or economically undesirable levels of wildfire, pests, diseases, and invasive species, to maintain and improve long-term forest health, productivity, and economic viability.

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