Forest Sequestration Key to Achieving Carbon Neutrality, says Finnish Environment Minister

Finland is looking to continued sustainable forest management and stronger forest sequestration to help it achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 at the latest, reports Politico.

Minister Tiilikainen, Finland’s environment minister, has set out how, if Finland can lower its fossil fuels and switch to wood-based products and biomass, the country’s forests could absorb the balance of carbon emissions. About 30 percent of the country’s emissions are absorbed by its forests, one of the highest in the EU.

Thanks to “sustainable forest management”, the volume of trees growing exceeds the volume harvested. Carbon sinks “will stay high in the years to come and be back at the current level in around 2035,” Minister Tiilikainen said.

“About a decade ago several paper and pulp mills were closed down in Finland. Now new investments and increased use of wood are bringing significant numbers of jobs and boosting our exports and national economy. Actions should be targeted to wood building, which sequesters carbon on a long-term basis, and new innovations”, Minister Tiilikainen explained in a press release.

Forest NGOs reacted to the announcement in the press, urging Finland to be cautious and ensure carbon accounting through forest sequestration is done honestly and transparently. NGOs such as Fern expect forest cover to decline in the coming years.

Climate-KIC is working with a number of partners to develop innovation that supports sustainable forest management. One innovation project, Fully Optimised and Reliable Emissions Tools, helps manage forest assets with greater precision through satellite forest cover monitoring and measurement.

 
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