New solutions are found in forest carbon by combining climate benefits with sustainable forest management and material solutions, a Pöyry report indicates.
The article, ‘Unlocking the benefits of forest carbon’, outlines how the Paris climate agreement has been a catalyst for companies to increase climate change mitigation and sustainability initiatives.
Existing forests can be optimised with minimal changes and without the need for significant investment. The process relies on a variety of considerations such as the forest type, desired time frame, and carbon impact but all forest growers stand to make improvements in this area.
Afforestation and reforestation are also opportunities identified by the article for carbon mitigation with an estimated 300 million hectares of land that could be used for wood and biomass production without threatening food security.
“The era of climate consciousness has set a precedent for new, more ambitious, climate actions,” said Petteri Pihlajamaki, Head of Forestry and Biomass Consulting at Pöyry.
“Forest carbon is set to play an important role to combat climate change by contributing to sustainable forest management and providing wood-based material solutions which are generally more sustainable. Companies in the forestry sector and wider value chain make a critical contribution towards climate change mitigation.”
Further down the value chain, brands that are keen to improve their sustainability performance can also look to new forest carbon solutions in addition to materials substitution, Mr Pihlajamaki added.
Companies are now also using climate benefits and sustainability as brand management tools as consumers become increasingly conscious of climate change with many seeking sustainable products and services.
