The ability for trees to sequester carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was further reinforced by the findings of a study from Canadian Climate Forum, viewable online.
The study, “Contributing to Climate Change Solutions,” explains how Canadian forests and trees will play dual roles in mitigating the effects of climate change in the future.
The first role will be to store carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas responsible for climate change. Canadian forests absorbed 150 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2013, higher than the amount of car and truck emissions in Canada that year, according to the study.
The second role will be providing a sustainable supply of raw material that has a lower carbon footprint than alternatives because harvested wood products still store carbon dioxide. In fact, 39 million tons of CO2 were stored in wood products harvested in 2013, the study said.
“We are delighted to see this paper confirm how our renewable forests can play a role in mitigating climate change,” said David Lindsay, president and CEO of the Forest Products Association of Canada, in a statement. “The fact that products made from wood and tree fiber are also preferable from the perspective of carbon means our sector can help in the transition to a low-carbon economy while also contributing to jobs and economic growth.”
