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Forest management, forest products & the climate Forestry's significance in the carbon dioxide balance Growing trees capture In combustion and composting, carbon dioxide is emitted to the atmosphere Worn-out products can be incinerated and turned into bioenergy or compost carbon dioxide by photosynthesis The carbon from the carbon dioxide is stored in every part of the tree Processing raw materials in the forest based industry requires a low input of energy Wood-based products are recycled and/or re-used Replacing more energy-demanding materials with wood-based products produces a bonus effect The substitution effect - one example Timber products Paper products Bioenergy Reduced CO2 emissions Swedish forests are sustainably managed For every harvested tree, at least two new ones are planted The annual growth is greater than the felling Nature considerations are taken in all forest activities in order to preserve biodiversity The forest industry is part of the solution to further reduce in Sweden's emissions of fossil carbon dioxide through increased use of wood-based products increased use of the waste products from felling for energy production If the growth is increased even more carbon dioxide is captured The forest as a carbon sink Growing forests capture carbon dioxide through photosynthesis Emissions and absorption of carbon dioxide in Sweden Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry Waste Agriculture Solvent and Other Product Use Industrial Processes Energy Total 80 Mtonnes CO2 The difference between annual growth and felling means that the Swedish forests store a net volume of 20-35 Mtonnes of CO2 per year. * 60 40 20 0 -20 -40 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 *Sweden's reports to the UNFCCC ** 3 % of Sweden's emissions in 1990 2002 2004 2006 A maximum of 2.13 Mtonnes** may be accounted, according to the Kyoto agreement. Sweden does not report this. Forests and the climate – threat & opportunity Threat Deforestation which takes place mainly in tropical countries leads to carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere According to the UN's climate panel deforestation represents approx. 20 % of the world's total carbon dioxide emissions Opportunity Sustainable forest management with replanting results in a net store of carbon dioxide, thus mitigating the greenhouse effect Carbon is stored in the manufactured products - increased production results in an increased store When -based products replace materials that give rise to major emissions, an even more positive climate effect is added Threats Annual change in growing stocks in the period 1990 - 2005 (%) % China Sweden 1,0 Europe North America Forested area 0 World – 0.2 Africa South America Asia Brazil 1,0 One fifth of the emissions caused by man originate from deforestation and forest degradation. That is the largest individual source of emissions. - 4,0 Indonesia Opportunity An active forest management with high levels of growth captures carbon dioxide. The volume of growing stock in the Swedish forests have almost doubled during the past 90 years while felling has doubled. The increase is continuing. The global potential of the Swedish forestry model – an intellectual experiment Total emissions + 7.2 Global forestry on the lines of Swedish model - 2.3 Stop to deforestation - 0.6 Halving of damage to forests - 1.1 Total - 4.0 Absorption in the seas and vegetation - 3.2 Total 0 All of the values shown relate to billions of tonnes of C SWE – the potential in a climate agreement Sustainable forest management after the Swedish model would contribute to a reduction of global warming and a developed economy. The Swedish Wood Effect = SWE Increasing growth in the forests Reducing deforestation Stimulating an increase in the use of wood by including products in the climate agreement. Outcomes in Copenhagen (COP15) Did not result in legally binding agreements or in a framework agreement. "The Copenhagen Accord" limits global warming to +2oC. A fund shall be established to allow less developed countries to develop their economies while also reducing emissions USD 30 billion 2010-2012 USD 100 billion a year from 2020 Reducing deforestation is addressed in the “Accord” Continued mandate to negotiate on various options as to how forests and harvested wood products should be accounted. The negotiations on stopping deforestation are said to have made a great deal of progress but, to come into force, are conditional on resolutions on a general agreement. Important questions in the continued climate negotiations Measures, including financing, for reduced deforestation Accounting models for evaluating the role of the forests as regards absorption of carbon dioxide Choice of model for accounting on the store of carbon in the harvested wood products. Forests in the climate negotiations various options Gross – Net Net absorption/emissions of carbon dioxide are reported for the commitment period Net – Net The net absorption/emissions for the year in question are compared to a base year (currently 1990) Reference level with limitations The current year's net absorption/ emissions are compared to forecasted levels The climate-role of products A proposal within the climate negotiations is that the carbon stored in harvested wood products should be accounted for. The size of that store is determined on the basis of production volume and the product. Timber products have the longest length of life. Paper has a shorter length of life. Biofuels are not accounted for, although biofuels do have a major impact when they are replacing fossil fuels. Recognition of harvested wood products as a carbon store would give a positive signal and the scope to disseminate positive Swedish experiences – SWE. Products in the climate agreement Including products in a new climate agreement will create the incentive to stimulate use of wood-products. 1961 Increased production of wood products 2009 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Increased store of carbon in products The products' climate-role - conclusion Wood-based products have a huge potential for storing carbon. If their use increases, the store will increase. Products with a long length of life will have the greatest impact. There is a link between felling and products. Increased felling leads to increased production of wood-based products. The storage effect of the products balances partially the reduced net absorption due to increased felling. The use of wood-based products also has an impact on the climate if materials that are more energy-demanding are replaced by timber. Important principles for future climate agreements An agreement must be based on a model that accounts for net growth of the forests and not historic figures or base years An agreement must recognize the use of harvested wood products and the positive impact that these products have on the climate An agreement must contain initiatives for reducing deforestation Common acronyms in the climate negotiations UNFCCC = United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. COP = Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC. 193 countries. Subdivided into: Annex I (industrialised countries and developing economies) Annex II (Developed countries that pay for expenditure in developing countries) Developing countries. KP= Kyoto Protocol. 40 countries have signed the agreement which indicates commitments to reduce emissions. CMP = Meeting of the Parties of the KP. IPCC = Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The UN's panel of research scientists for climate change. LULUCF = Land Use Land Use Change and Forestry. The designation of the landuse sector in the Kyoto Agreement. HWP = Harvested Wood Products. REDD = Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation. REDD + = Extension of REDD at the COP meeting on Bali to also encompass the preservation of biodiversity and respect for indigenous peoples. UN REDD = United Nations Collaborative Programme on Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation. CDM = Clean Development Mechanism. Part of the Kyoto Agreement which permits an industrialised country to implement projects for reducing emissions in developing countries. Can provide salable emissions credits.