Back Wood for Growth, industry network urges

European Union politicians are being urged to realise the potential of timber and woodworking sectors as drivers of low emission growth and development at the Paris UN COP 21 Climate Change Conference.

At the same time, the wider wood industry is being encouraged to reinforce the message and promote its low carbon credentials to policy makers and the wider market at local and national level.

The recommendation to EU political leaders came out of a June meeting in Vienna of the Wood for Growth Committee of the European Wood Network, an alliance of European timber industry leaders and associations, backed by the ETTF and European Organisation of Sawmill Industries (EOS).

The Committee includes trade body marketing specialists, with the aim to pool timber sector promotional expertise EU-wide.

“We focused on supporting measures the European Commission has put forward to cut emissions by 40% in its ‘Roadmap to Paris’; a package of environmental strategies and recommendations to be tabled at COP21 in November,” said David Hopkins, Chairman of Wood for Growth and Director of the UK’s Wood for Good. “It recognises the role forestry can play tackling climate change as a carbon sink. This is welcome. But our message is that this benefit can only reach maximum potential with increased use of wood. Using wood in manufacture and construction locks in CO2 absorbed by trees long-term. It requires little energy, emitting less carbon in processing than other materials. ”

Mr Hopkins added that the timber industry also needed to communicate the sector’s capacity to support economic growth, while cutting emissions.

“European woodworking has a growth goal which would boost EU industrial output 4% a year,” he said. “This would add €2.35 billion to the economy and create 80,000 jobs, while cutting atmospheric CO2 emission levels by 150 million tonnes.”

To convey these messages to policy makers, the European Wood Network has developed a “Toolbox” of downloadable marketing material for timber bodies and businesses EU-wide www.woodtoolbox.net. This features impactful timber construction and manufacturing case-study projects, and common messaging on wood’s environmental benefits and economic potential.

“There’s huge opportunity to persuade European politicians to show leadership at COP21 and emphasise timber’s capacity to curb emissions, develop low-carbon urban environments and boost our economy,” said Mr Hopkins.

He added that Wood for Growth would intensify MEP and other political lobbying in the run-up to COP21.