Remarks by Prime Minister Kaja Kallas at the 'New European Bauhaus goes Into the Woods' event in Finland, 24.11.2022

It is my great pleasure to be here today, and I am thankful to our Finnish hosts who have put a lot of work into making this event happen and taken us literally into the woods.

And thank you Ursula for the New European Bauhaus. We have a saying in Estonia that one should see the forest behind the trees. A saying that stresses the need to seek solutions from a wide perspective. This is what the New European Bauhaus is all about.

Every Estonian is passionate about forests because the forest is more than we can measure. It has been an important place to hide, to find peace and embrace nature and it has also been a poor man´s fur coat. As forest-rich countries, forests have a special role in our culture and our peoples hearts. Although we are considered to be very tech-savvy, we also pick berries and mushrooms. We know which ones you can pick and which ones you cannot. There is also a joke, you can eat all the mushrooms, some of them only once.

Forests are pivotal to the green transition and part of the solution in reaching climate neutrality - just like all the other sectors. We have set the much needed climate and biodiversity goals in the EU in order to fight global climate change. But these goals and ambitions are only doable if we consider the right role for each sector and offer solutions for their transition.

We expect a lot from our forests. Be it their role in absorbing carbon, as an important sanctuary for many species and habitats or as a vital source of livelihood and provider of resources. But also as a place where we like to spend time, to hike, exercise, relieve stress. As the founder of the Bauhaus School Walter Gropius has said: "Under trees, the urban dweller might restore his troubled soul and find the blessing of a creative pause."

As one can see, finding a balance between these sometimes conflicting roles of preservation and use is challenging. As another Estonian proverb says, there is no forest behind the forest.

As it can be cut once in a lifetime, we should aim to make it profitable for the owner as well as for the nature. Increasing natural sink and biodiversity are vital if we are to achieve climate neutrality. Only this way we can ensure our forests can fulfil all their functions also in 50 and 100 years' time.

As forest-rich countries with long experience in sustainable forest management, Estonia, Finland and Sweden can be pioneers in transforming the sector to be future-proof. Perhaps, as a way forward, forestry also needs its own Just Transition for certain parts of the sector. We should also make preserving forest profitable for the owner, not only logging.

Today, we are discussing how we use the resources that we get from the forests. I believe that this is one of the most important questions regarding any material we use. While sustainable biomass surely has its role in the energy sector transition in short-term, the way forward should be through using wood for long-term and in high value products.

And perhaps this is also the way to bring these restoring and blessing effects Walter Gropius was talking about closer to more urban dwellers. High value use cases such as wood as a construction material, are much more noticeable to people. This means that they see the changes the green transition is bringing to their lives. If we do it right, we can inspire people by showing the improvement it brings to their living spaces.

This is what the New Bauhaus Initiative is all about. Wood is a natural fit in the European Bauhaus initiative and the initiative itself can be an important enabler of sustainable forest management in the long term.

We have used wood as a construction material since prehistoric times and our histories are deeply intertwined with it. Estonian children still visit the old wooden farm houses that their forefathers lived in. They use timber to build their own first treehouses. And of course, when we are building a sauna - we build it out of wood. There is a deep connection with this material in our societies.

In the last 30 years the technology of using timber as a building material has developed a lot and we have the means to connect the old with the modern. To bring sustainable wood use to modern architecture and city planning. We have seen this development in Estonia firsthand - new schools, kindergartens, apartment buildings and much more are being built using timber in a contemporary way.

This is why I am proud that this event has been the impulse to create a platform between Estonia, Finland and Sweden to develop skills related to the use of wood in the New European Bauhaus. This will also be our contribution to the "New European Bauhaus Academy" that the Commission has just announced.

We want to develop skills related to the sustainable use of wood and provide opportunities for scientists and companies to work together. Be it our strong wooden houses sector whose products have reached over 70 countries or the newly opened Timber Architecture Research Center at the Estonian Academy of Arts. We need people who are able to understand the vision of the New European Bauhaus and the opportunities and challenges that sustainable wood construction brings.

I am also very happy to announce, that Estonia will be joining the Nordic Bauhaus family - this will be an excellent opportunity for our scientists and companies to develop a shared culture and vision in building the best living environment that connects people with nature.

I wish you all a great event and fruitful discussions.

Thank you!

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