Climate Change

Sustainable forestry and the use of wood products each have a positive role to play in mitigating the effects of climate change by reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the atmosphere. Generated when fossil fuels such as coal and oil are burned for energy, CO₂ traps heat that would otherwise radiate into space and is a major cause of global warming.

Through photosynthesis, forests absorb CO₂ and store it in their trees and soil. Absorption is the greatest when they’re young and growing vigorously, tapering off as they mature—and, once they die and start to decay, their stored CO₂ is released back into the environment. If they’re harvested sustainably and manufactured into building products, the CO₂ is stored in the products while the forest regenerates with young trees that absorb even more CO₂, thus achieving a net reduction in emissions over the long term.

Certain forest management practices, such as tending and fertilization, help the forest grow more quickly and absorb more CO₂. Active management, which involves thinning the forest, removing dead trees and clearing debris at various points in its development, is also important because it reduces the number and intensity of wildfires and helps to protect against the spread of insects and disease—both of which cause huge CO₂ emissions.

More Information

The Role of Forests and Wood in Mitigating Climate Change

Climate Project: Carbon Sequestration and Storage by California Forests and Forest Products – Technical memorandum available from the California Forestry Association, 35 pages ( 1.65MB PDF)
Global Climate Change: Forestry Never Looked So Cool – Special issue of California Forests magazine, California Forestry Association, 24 pages ( 1.4MB PDF)
Modern Forestry and Climate Change – California Forest Products Commission, 2 pages ( 440KB PDF)
Tackle Climate Change, Use Wood - Forestry Innovation Investment (Canada), 22 pages (2070 KB)
Tackle Climate Change: Use Wood – CEI-Bois (Europe), 43 pages
Using Wood to Fight Climate Change – Wood Promotion Network, 2 pages ( 772KB PDF)
Wood Products and Carbon Sequestration – Canadian Wood Council, 1 page ( 217KB PDF)

Wood Industry Policy and Initiatives

A Climate Change Fact Sheet – American Forest & Paper Association, 2 pages ( 182KB PDF)

by storing the CO₂ for decades, if not centuries, with the added benefit of reducing fossil fuel consumption. Studies have shown that wood products require less energy to extract, process, transport, construct and maintain over time when compared to steel or concrete, and that wood’s superior insulating properties help to reduce the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling.