The European Green Deal relies on forests and forestry for achieving European Union’s (EU-27) climate neutrality by 2050.

According to a recent multi-disciplinary report coordinated by European Forest Institute (EFI), forests and wood products are sink for 10% (380 MtCO2eq/year) of total greenhouse gases emitted in Europe. The study shows that forest and wood-based carbon sinks can be increased by 72 million MtCO2eq/year by reducing deforestation, increasing afforestation and with changes in wood end-uses towards long life-cycle products such as wood construction. These additional sinks can be further doubled to 130-140 MtCO2eq/year by implementing active silviculture, improved forest management, forest conservation and ecosystem restoration measures. In this scenario forest and wood products would neutralize over 500 MtCO2eq/year, which represents ca. 13% of current greenhouse gas emissions in Europe.

In addition to carbon sequestration, the proposed actions would have positive impacts on the biodiversity as well.

Further information:

Verkerk, P.J., Delacote, P., Hurmekoski, E., Kunttu, J., Matthews, R., Mäkipää, R., Mosley, F., Perugini, L., Reyer, C. P. O., Roe, S., Trømborg, E. 2022. Forest-based climate change mitigation and adaptation in Europe. From Science to Policy 14. European Forest Institute. https://doi.org/10.36333/fs14