The role of forests in EU environmental politics

The adoption of the proposal for an EU Nature Restoration Regulation (EU-NRR) in 2022 sparked controversial debates across environmental policy domains. The intensity of contestation during the ordinary legislative procedure was evident in the numerous amendments and close voting outcomes within the EU legislative institutions. Although the multi-level and multi-sectoral nature of the EU environmental policy arena provides numerous opportunities and venues for political networks to influence policy processes and their outcomes, the coalition dynamics and discursive power of environmental networks remain under-researched. These dynamics are particularly evident in environmental politics, where a variety of state and non-state actors, shaped by different interests and power structures, attempt to influence political processes based on their interpretations of reality. Drawing on the discourse coalition framework and the coalition magnet concept, this study examines how coalition formation and discursive power influence policy-making processes and their outcomes. Using Discourse Network Analysis (DNA), we analyze the policy debate around the EU-NRR to: i) identify supporting and opposing discourse coalitions, ii) uncover forest-related storylines, and iii) assess the influence of discourse coalitions and their storylines on the policymaking process and its outcome. In doing so, we place particular emphasis on forest ecosystems, which have historically played a minor role in EU policies. Based on an analysis of 328 public statements and a process tracing of key policy outputs, this study highlights how coalition formation and discursive power dynamics within political networks play a critical role in shaping environmental policy-making. Furthermore, it provides valuable insights into the development of the EU-NRR—the EU's first directly applicable and legally binding forest-related policy instrument.