Growing forest and the use of timber plays a significant part in combating climate change. We aim to take a leading role in utilizing and developing the climatic benefits that forests provide.
Several forms of climatic benefit
When renewable wood raw material is used, it is usually to replace limited and fossil based resources in, for example, building material, fuel and energy. Research and development can enable many more products to be based on wood raw material. It could, as examples, also be used in car interiors, clothes, medicines and household provisions. Wood raw material is renewable, which means that it greatly benefits the environment.
Growing forest binds carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. This process uses carbon dioxide, water and sunlight to create carbohydrates. When forest binds carbon dioxide, it is working as a carbon sink. Forest can be a carbon sink and a carbon source to varying degrees during its life cycle, at different times of the day and depending on its location in the country. But generally speaking, the ability of forest to bind carbon dioxide has a clearly positive effect on the climate.
Swedish forest binds a total of almost 140 million metric tons of carbon dioxide a year - in trunks, roots, branches, needles and leaves. This is twice as much as the country emits. The net effect is less when the forest is felled, but this is, nevertheless, better than leaving the forest standing undisturbed. The forest most effectively binds carbon dioxide when it is young and middle aged. It is then that it grows most rapidly.
The climate benefits most through active forestry in which trees are felled and put to various uses and new plants are set in their place. At the same time, it is important to bear in mind other goals such as the conservation of biological diversity, which, among other things, occurs through land being allocated for nature conservation. Therefore, Sveaskog does not consider the climate question as incompatible with nature conservation. On the other hand, the climate question is a further argument for active silviculture and responsible regeneration.