Sweden and Finland are lobbying for relaxed emissions targets because of lower levels of tree growth in their countries, reports Arctic Today. The two nations say they could suffer “dire” economic consequences if they are forced to harvest less forest for wood products in order to meet their EU-mandated climate targets. Urging the EU to take a “flexible” approach to compliance, they say climate change has slowed tree growth and the war in Ukraine has increased demand. “The EU’s current framework for forest use… is a major problem and, if not revised, would lead to unreasonable and unjustified restrictions on Swedish forestry,” Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on X on September 15. Wood products make up more than 10% of Sweden’s exports and almost 20% of Finland’s.