The final report of the study “Maximizing the carbon storage potential of wood – Redirecting and cascading EU27+UK wood flows” has just been published. This research, conducted by Metabolic Institute and Stichting Probos, and funded by Built By Nature, delivered a comprehensive and updated systems-level assessment of current wood use across European value chains. The first objective was to understand how wood – and the carbon contained therein – flows through applications and value chains across Europe. Furthermore, the project identified ways to increase long-term carbon stores and high-quality use of wood through targeted redirections and cascading of timber use. The results show great potential for both these goals!
The analyses conducted considered all steps of wood production and use. This includes roundwood sourcing, production of all types of wood products, and assessment of end-of-life disposal of wood products. The resulting material flow analysis highlighted volumes of wood that, based on application, contribute to short- (<10 years), medium- (10-35 years), and long-term (>35 years) carbon stores. Additionally, these outcomes were used to design and model two forest-level and five industry-level strategies that could increase wood-based carbon stores across timber applications, while prioritizing high-quality use of timber.
The results show that only 8% of the 560 million m³ (515 million tons CO2-eq) of wood entering European value chains annually is used for applications that ensure long-term carbon storage (>35 years), such as structural timber in buildings. By contrast, 340 million m3 (393 million tons CO2-eq) of wood is used for short-term applications (e.g. pulping, bioenergy) or lost from the system as processing residues, releasing large biogenic carbon emissions. Additionally, 12 million m3 (11.4 million tons CO2-eq) of wood is released each year from renovations and demolitions of existing buildings, with the majority of this being incinerated (62%) or downcycled to short-term reuse (27%).
These numbers highlight great potential for optimizing wood value chains toward both larger carbon storage and higher-value wood use. As such, the strategies showed that additional 390-600 Mt CO2-eq could be stored long-term from now until 2025 if cascading and circular wood use would be applied. These strategies include:
- Redirecting short-lived wood uses to high-value applications with a longer life span in bio-based construction (50-90 million tons CO2-eq of additional potential long-term carbon storage);
- Improving resource efficiency in timber products and wood processing (96-165 million tons CO2-eq of additional potential long-term carbon storage);
- High-value use of by-products and residues for bio-based construction products (134-206 million tons CO2-eq of additional potential long-term carbon storage);
- Extension of wood products lifetimes in buildings (48-67 million tons CO2-eq of additional potential long-term carbon storage);
- Reuse of demolition wood in applications with a long life span, mostly in the construction sector (64-80 million tons CO2-eq of additional potential long-term carbon storage).
These numbers highlight a great potential to increase carbon storage by redirecting and cascading wood use. Moreover, they could be further increased by sustainably enhancing the total production of roundwood in Europe, which could potentially supply an extra 90 million m3 of roundwood over the next 10-20 years.
This study comes at a crucial time for the future of European wood value chains. In fact, several emerging EU policy frameworks, including the EU Carbon Removal Certification Framework, the revised LULUCF Regulation, and the EU Bioeconomy strategy, are starting to recognize carbon stored in long-lived products, as well as the importance of circular use of wood resources. These policies are pivotal leverages to fully exploit the potential of wood to store carbon long-term. Nevertheless, a stronger push toward the implementation of cascading approaches to timber use is needed, for example in line with the recent release of the Principles for Responsible Timber Construction, by Bauhaus Earth and Built By Nature.
In line with these principles, this study offers a practical foundation grounded in solid data that policymakers, industry leaders, designers, investors, and researchers can use to align the bioeconomy, the built environment and climate neutrality pathways. All toward maximization of wood use, high-quality timber applications, and the development of a sustainable and circular bio-based economy.
Wood can become a cornerstone of Europe’s climate strategy. Not necessarily by being used more, but by being used better, longer, and more circularly!
