Wood and Paper Products
Store Greenhouse Gases
The story of carbon in wood and paper products
A portion of the carbon that trees remove from the
atmosphere remains fixed in wood and paper products
throughout their useful lives.
Wood and paper products are part of a sustainable
production and consumption cycle.
Wood and Paper Products Store Greenhouse Gases
Introduction
The world’s forests – and the wood and paper products that
come from them – are unique in their ability to remove and store
carbon dioxide. The international forest and paper industry
plays a critical climate role because of the ability of forests to
remove carbon dioxide – the main greenhouse gas – from the
atmosphere and store it. The carbon stored in trees continues
to be stored in forest products. The renewable nature of forests,
the ability to recover and recycle forest products, and the
industry’s strong reliance on biomass fuels makes the wood
and paper industry a key player in finding climate solutions.
Forests Remove Carbon Dioxide
Forests play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle.
Although the forest industry owns a relatively
Well-managed forests, improvements in their
small percentage of the world’s forests, the industry
productivity and the creation of new forests provide
plays a major role in promoting and supporting
a powerful mechanism for removing carbon dioxide
sustainable forest management on all forestlands.
from the atmosphere.
Members of the forest products industry have
developed
practices
that
demonstrate
the
Globally there are 3.9 billion hectares of closed
commitment of the forest-based industry to
canopy forests storing billions of tonnes of carbon
maintaining the long-term management of forest
above and below ground. Known as "carbon
resources. Over 110 million hectares of forestlands
sequestration," the process begins when growing
are certified by sustainable forest management
trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
programs. This total includes third-party audited
and emit oxygen. According to the Intergovernmental
forests under two international systems and over
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 12 to 15% of
40 other national systems.
the projected greenhouse gas emissions from
fossil fuels (up until the year 2050) could be offset
by forests.
Forests Products Store Carbon Dioxide
A portion of the carbon that trees remove
A significant amount of this carbon remains
from the atmosphere remains fixed in wood
sequestered in products for at least 100 years,
and paper products throughout their useful lives.
in effect permanently removing carbon from the
Wood and paper products are part of a
atmosphere. Sequestration of atmospheric carbon
sustainable production and consumption cycle.
is a unique feature of forest products that is not
found in other materials.
The harvesting and manufacturing of forest
products essentially transfers carbon from one
Current data indicate that the amount of carbon
carbon pool – the forests – to another carbon pool –
sequestered in wood products during use ranges
the product pool. The IPCC recognizes that the
from 5 to 25% of the carbon in the original material.
carbon contained in these products continues to be
Additionally, paper and paperboard products store
sequestered from the atmosphere, and in some
up to 7% of original carbon.
cases – such as building materials – products remain
significant amount of carbon stored in products that
in use for very long periods of time. As worldwide
meet societal needs, contribute to economic wealth,
demand for forest products increases, the amount
and offset a sizeable portion of the emissions
of carbon stored in the product pool increases,
generated by the production of these needed goods.
This represents a
thus removing carbon from the atmosphere and
offsetting global greenhouse gas emissions.
Product sequestration is an important component
of the industry’s carbon balance. Depending on
It is estimated that the wood and paper products
the product involved, the amount of carbon
produced by the global forest products industry in
sequestered in wood and paper products can be
2000 contained 290 million metric tonnes of carbon.*
as high as 25% of the carbon in the original
*IPCC Technical Paper #FCCC/TP/2003/7
material.
Recycling Extends the Life of Products
Recovering wood and fiber for recycling is
The forest products industry’s efforts to recover
another part of the industry’s balanced carbon
increasing amounts of wood and fiber also lead
cycle. Recycling reduces emissions from landfills,
to corresponding reductions in greenhouse gas
thus avoiding methane emissions.
emissions from landfills. Recycling used wood and
paper, instead of sending it to landfills, reduces
Recovering wood and fiber for recycling brings
emissions of methane and carbon dioxide.
further climate benefits. Wood and paper products
are used and re-used by society for long periods of
The wood and paper products industry has
time, and this long-term use sustains the reservoir
significantly increased its paper recycling activities.
of carbon contained in products.
Worldwide the industry’s rates of fiber recovery –
as a percentage of domestic consumption – are
high, ranging from 40 to almost 60%. In the woodbased panel industry, less than 20% of the raw
material is virgin wood.
Wood and Paper Products Store Greenhouse Gases
Manufacturing and Energy Savings
The paper industry has significantly improved
Use of Renewable Energy: Biomass
its energy efficiency over the last decade.
Biomass is a major energy source for the forest-
Regionally, greenhouse gas emissions from the
based industry, accounting for more than 50% of
pulp and paper industry declined by 7 to 36%
the total energy consumption in Europe, Canada
per tonne between 1990 and 2000.
and the US.
As the world’s population has grown and living
Energy-rich biomass – derived from wood chips,
standards have improved, demand for paper
bark, sawdust and pulping liquors recovered from
products has also grown, adding value to the lives
the harvesting and manufacturing processes –
of an increasing number of people. However, over
is atmospheric carbon dioxide sequestered by
the past decade there has been a reduction in the
trees during growth and transformed into carbon.
amount of greenhouse gases emitted per tonne of
When biomass fuels are burned, the carbon dioxide
production.
emitted is the atmospheric carbon dioxide that
was sequestered during tree growth.
Regionally, greenhouse gas emissions from the
pulp and paper industry declined by 7 to 36% per
The IPCC has stated that emissions from biomass do
tonne between 1990 and 2000. The decline was
not add to atmospheric concentrations of carbon
brought about by greater energy efficiency in
dioxide. The forest-carbon cycle is a closed loop, as
manufacturing processes, switching to lower
new tree growth will once again absorb this carbon
carbon emitting fuels, and increasing the use of
dioxide.
biomass fuels. In Japan for instance, specific energy
consumption declined by 44% between 1970 and
1990.
The industry is committed to further improve its
energy efficiency. However, early action taken by
the industry has been effective, and additional
efforts will be challenging.
Wood and Paper Products Store Greenhouse Gases
Wood and Paper Products are Part of the Carbon Cycle
The forest products industry’s production/consump-
The forest and paper industry strongly recommends
tion cycle is a unique extension of the natural
that climate policies recognize this carbon cycle,
carbon cycle. Using water, nutrients, and carbon
which can be used to benefit the environment in
dioxide, photosynthesis transforms solar energy
a sustainable manner. The industry’s contribution to
into wood fibers in growing trees. During the
renewable energy production must be recognized.
growing process, trees take up carbon dioxide from
Wood and paper products should be utilized and
the air and emit oxygen. Wood and paper products
recycled as useful products for as long as possible.
produced from trees continue the storage of carbon
Products should not be recovered for burning until
dioxide – in some cases for decades or longer.
the end of their useful life.
Once products are consumed, they may start a new
life when collected as a secondary raw material
To capture the full carbon sequestration benefits of
or as an energy source. In this way the forest and
wood and paper products, they must be promoted
paper carbon cycle is closed and balanced.
broadly for use in society and as construction
materials.
November 2003
CORMA
American Forest & Paper Association
www.afandpa.org
[email protected]
Corporación Chilena de la Madera
www.corma.cl
[email protected]
APIC
FPAC
Australian Paper Industry Council
www.apic.asn.au
[email protected]
Forest Products Association of Canada
www.fpac.ca
[email protected]
CEI-Bois
JPA
European Confederation of Woodworking Industries
www.cei-bois.org
[email protected]
Japan Paper Association
www.jpa.gr.jp
[email protected]
CEPI
PAMSA
Confederation of European Paper Industries
www.cepi.org
[email protected]
Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa
www.pamsa.co.za
[email protected]
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AF&PA