The German Wood Industry: Circular Economy and Climate Protection

Excerpt from the speech by Wolfgang Beck, SVP Global Wood Procurement, at the 74th Annual Conference of the Council of the German Wood Industry 2024 (Part 2 of 4)

The timber industry as part of the solution

The timber industry has the potential to play a key role in the fight against climate change. By establishing a circular economy and manufacturing durable wood products, the industry can improve its environmental footprint and actively contribute to CO2 sequestration.

Wood products as carbon stores

Wood is a natural carbon store. Trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere during their growth and store the carbon in the wood. This carbon remains bound in products made from wood as long as they are durable and physically preserved or perhaps even recycled.

Circular economy: keeping carbon in circulation

The circular economy aims to keep resources in the economic cycle for as long as possible and to minimize waste. In the timber industry, this means recycling and reprocessing timber products after they have been used and only using them for energy at the end of their life. In this way, the carbon stored in the wood can be kept bound for a long time and does not enter the atmosphere.

Durable wood products as carbon sinks

The production of durable wooden products makes an essential contribution to climate protection. Wooden buildings, for example, can store CO2 for centuries and thus serve as effective carbon sinks. Wooden products used in interior design, furniture or paper can also bind carbon for many years.

Political framework: support instead of obstacles

Supportive political conditions are crucial for the timber industry to fully exploit its potential in climate protection. Promoting sustainable forest management, strengthening the circular economy, and incentivizing the production of durable timber products are important measures to steer the industry towards climate neutrality.

Challenges and opportunities

Implementing a circular economy in the timber industry is associated with challenges. These include developing suitable recycling processes, ensuring the quality of recycled wood, and creating markets for recycled wood products. At the same time, the circular economy also offers great opportunities for the industry to develop new business models and position itself as a pioneer in climate protection.

Conclusion

The timber industry can make a decisive contribution to combating climate change. By using wood as a carbon sink, establishing a circular economy and manufacturing durable wood products, the industry can improve its own environmental performance while actively contributing to reducing CO2 emissions. Politicians are called upon to create the right framework conditions to promote this development and strengthen the timber industry as part of the solution in the fight against climate change.