Europe's forest growth exceeds wood demand for energy

Demand for wood is increasing as bioenergy continues to receive attention as a 'carbon-neutral' energy source that can reduce Europe's energy depence. The Commission's latest policy initiative in the area, part of the energy and climate change package of 10 January 2007, proposed that 10% of EU transport fuel should come from biofuels by 2020.

The Commission has promised to focus on second-generation biofuels produced from lignocellulosic sources such as straw, timber or woodchips. Second-generation biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol or synthetic biofuels made from bio-oil are obtained from the biochemical or thermochemical conversion of biomass feedstocks, with the exception of processes such as direct combustion, fermentation or transesterification. These next-generation fuels are believed to be superior to the current 'first generation', made from low yielding crops such as sugar beet and rapeseed. The forest-based sector in Europe employs around 3.5 million people and has an annual turnover of some €400 billion.

The capability of European forests to meet both growing demand from biofuels and the more traditional uses of wood such as timber, pulp and paper came under scrutiny at a workshop organised by the United Nations and forest-based industry organisations on 11-12 January in Geneva.

Over one hundred particpants in the workshop noted with that, despite increasing demand for wood, annual forest growth in Europe still far exceeds the volume of wood harvested. Europe's current consumption of wood-based products for energy directly harvested from forests stands at around 40 million tons of oil equivalent (Mtoe). Its potential is estimated to be around 43Mtoe in 2010, 39-45Mtoe in 2020 and between 39 and 72Mtoe in 2030 (see graph, click to enlarge). The increase in forest volume offers more habitats for biodiversity, a wide array of timber and offers employment opportunities, the participants agreed.

However, they warned that the intensified use of forests may have some unwanted side-effects:
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* Forests help to protect soil from erosion, and play an important role in the water cycle and in water quality. However, intensive logging may impair these functions;
* more intensively used forests may pose a problem for biological diversity. Tree species composition may be less varied, as choices concentrate on fast-growing species, leading to a reduction of genetic diversity;
* increased demand may mean that the growth of food and the provision of other non-wood goods and services on lands will be less attractive, and;
* increased extraction of trees may lead to a risk of nutrient imbalance.

In order to use wood resources sustainably in the future, the workshop recommended that governments, in cooperation with stakeholders, introduce comprehensive policies for the forest sector, rural development and energy while at the same time ensuring co-ordination of these policies with other sectors.

More information:

UNECE/FAO: Background Paper: Mobilizing Wood Resources: Can Europe's Forests Satisfy the Increasing Demand for Raw Material and Energy under Sustainable Forest Management? Prepared by: Gero Becker (University of Freiburg, Germany), Evelyn Coleman (Forest Policy Analyst, Tschugg, Switzerland), Sebastian Hetsch (UNECE/FAO Timber Section), Yves Kazemi (Swiss Forest Policy Analyst, Forest & Society Consulting), Kit Prins (UNECE/FAO Timber Section).