Forests are a vital part of the carbon cycle
B.C.’s forests play a key role in the fight against climate change. Forests are a vital part of the earth’s carbon cycle, both storing and releasing carbon in a dynamic process of growth and decay. Trees absorb carbon as they grow, and when they are made into long-lived wood products, such as lumber or mass timber, they continue to store that carbon over their lifetime. Natural regeneration and planting continue this cycle. Managing our forests by removing select trees and burned, diseased or decaying residuals also supports new growth for healthy forest regeneration.
Scientists agree and the evidence is clear (external link): the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions we generate, primarily as a result of fossil fuels, are the leading cause of global warming (external link) and related volatile weather patterns. The negative impacts of climate change are a threat to the world’s forests, oceans, waterways and vital ecosystems.
Closely related to climate change is the earth’s carbon cycle. The carbon cycle refers to the continuous transfer of carbon from land and water to the atmosphere and living things. Forests are a vital part of this carbon cycle (external link), both storing and releasing it in a dynamic process of growth, decay and renewal.
Healthy forests can help cool the planet
The world’s forests help curb climate change and global warming by absorbing nearly a quarter of carbon emissions caused by human activity (PDF)—primarily the burning of fossil fuels and converting regions to farmland and other uses. By sucking up that carbon, forests reduce the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and in turn decrease the impacts of climate change.
This means keeping forests healthy is a critical part of removing harmful emissions and cooling our planet. Trees absorb carbon as they grow and when made into wood products, continue to store that carbon over their lifetime. Natural regeneration and planting continue this cycle. Managing our forests sustainably, increasing our use of wood products over carbon-intensive materials and maximizing their reuse and recycling is a smart climate solution.
Forests as carbon sources and carbon sinks
Forests can act as both carbon sources and carbon sinks. When trees burn or decay, whether by old age, fire, insect attack or other disturbances, they release carbon into the atmosphere. Carbon is absorbed through photosynthesis, storing the carbon in the tree’s trunks, branches, roots, leaves and soil. A forest is a carbon source if it releases more carbon than it absorbs. It is a carbon sink if it absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases.
For the past century, B.C.’s managed forests have been a significant carbon sink, steadily adding carbon to that already stored. In more recent years, the impacts of climate change—forest fires and insect attacks—have led to a shift in the province’s carbon balance, with some forested regions becoming a source of carbon.
To combat the growing impact of wildfires and pests on forests due to climate change, B.C. is embracing a comprehensive approach that integrates climate science and Indigenous knowledge. This helps mitigate the risks of wildfires and forest emissions, while enhancing the development of natural carbon sinks created when young forests grow.
Emissions data is made available to the public. In 2023, B.C. launched the Provincial GHG Inventory (external link). Emissions data can be accessed by the public by visiting the online inventory, which also includes broader information on how B.C. is progressing in meeting its legislated emissions reduction targets.
Photo credit: Michael Bednar
Helping meet future demand for renewable products and resources
As customers and policymakers look to meet sustainability and social commitments, climate targets and more, they’re turning to products made from renewable resources that result in lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to non-renewable material options.
The B.C. forest sector uses all the parts of a harvested tree. Tree type, size and quality drive where and how the material is manufactured into products. Waste and residuals from various stages of manufacturing are forwarded for use elsewhere in the value chain. This includes pulp, paper, pellets and innovative bio-based materials used in diverse applications, ranging from healthcare PPE to clothing and high-tech applications.
In addition to hydroelectric power, and as a substitute for fossil fuels, many sawmills use biomass cogeneration – wood waste and residues such as bark and sawdust to produce electricity and thermal energy – to power their mills and facilities. Some communities benefit from this bioenergy too.
Photo credit: Trey Hurst
Planting for future climate conditions and restoring the carbon balance
A dynamic approach to forest management is helping restore the carbon balance of B.C.’s forests while making them more resilient in the face of climate change. Using the latest science, B.C. researchers (external link)—in collaboration with the Canadian Forest Service, the University of British Columbia, and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service—are finding ways to minimize the impacts of wildfires and maximize the amount of CO2 absorbed by the province’s forests. By modelling a range of scenarios—such as different approaches to harvesting, silviculture and the use of bioenergy to replace fossil fuels—scientists are finding ways to adapt to warming temperatures.
One way the province is doing this is by researching growth rates and planting specific native tree species where future climate conditions can help them thrive. In fact, B.C.’s forests are growing one to three per cent faster per year on average according to a study from the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (external link).
For example, the black spruce—found in northern B.C.—is a native tree species that is growing twice as fast due to a warming climate. Another is western larch, which can now be planted north of its traditional range. With the right planning, climate change is and can continue to accelerate the regeneration of B.C.’s forests and even boost their carbon-absorbing benefits.
Photo credit: Jonathan Taggart
Wood construction can help fight climate change and support communities
The carbon-locking capability of wood products makes them an eco-friendlier choice when compared with non-renewable materials with high emissions such as steel or concrete. It is one of the few structural building materials we can grow using the sun while absorbing harmful CO2 emissions from our atmosphere. Cement, on the other hand, is the source of about eight per cent of the world’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Constructing more and taller structures with wood, and reducing our use of high-emission materials, such as steel and concrete, is a practical way to reduce the embodied carbon of our buildings.
There is an increasing global recognition of wood’s role in reducing the climate impacts of the built environment and creating healthier, resilient cities. With a long history of building with wood, B.C. has become a leader in advancing low carbon wood building solutions as a means to address housing, community and climate needs. There is a need for sustainable and affordable urban densification in B.C. and around the world. B.C. is responding to the challenge by developing mass timber products and advanced building systems to construct taller, larger wood buildings. This, in turn, has driven changes in building codes to allow for wood to be incorporated into larger multi-family and commercial applications. As of April 2024, B.C.’s building code allows for mass timber buildings up to 18 storeys.
82%
wood’s market share
in 5-6 storey residential construction in B.C. (2023)
450
mass timber buildings
started or completed in B.C. since 2007
20x
more buildings
per capita in B.C. use mass timber
Calculating environmental impacts of different building materials
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is the best method for examining the embodied carbon of building materials because it considers the greenhouse gas emissions associated with their production, transportation, construction, use and eventual disposal. National guidelines (external link) for whole-building life cycle assessment provide comprehensive instruction for the practice of life cycle assessment applied to buildings in Canada.
Various organizations have created online tools—embodied carbon in construction calculators—that take the whole lifecycle of products into account. Examples include Athena Sustainable Materials Institute’s Impact Estimator (external link), Carbon Leadership Forum’s EC3 Tool (external link), Building Transparency Tally (external link) and Bionova’s One Click LCA (external link). Using these tools, building professionals can estimate the carbon footprints of their projects by plugging in the type and quantity of materials to test different options.
Carbon tools for buildings
Zero-carbon buildings and the role of wood
While net-zero buildings that use less energy to operate than they generate are a good start, they don’t go far enough to reverse the accelerating effects of climate change. To meet global targets, and stop the world’s average temperature from rising, estimates show that all buildings will need to be net-zero-carbon by 2050 (external link). And science is showing that is possible to construct zero-carbon buildings—even make them a carbon sink (external link)—by using renewable materials such as wood.
The choice of products and systems used to construct, renovate and operate buildings has a significant effect on achieving zero-carbon building targets. Wood products are responsible for lower air and water pollution and have less embodied carbon than other commonly used building materials. Factory-built, precisely-manufactured timber construction makes better use of resources and reduces the number of deliveries to a building site, in turn decreasing overall vehicle emissions. Scraps leftover can be repurposed or recycled as bioenergy. These benefits, along with wood’s ability to serve as a carbon sink, make timber buildings a compelling choice to help achieve zero-carbon construction and design.
