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Reliance on imported wood threatens net zero goals – new research

27 Apr 2025 3 minute read
Harvesting sustainably grown wood from Welsh conifer forest Photo credit: Chris Jones, Woodknowledge Wales

A new study has warned that the UK’s heavy reliance on imported wood could undermine its net zero strategy and increase global carbon emissions.

In the paper, which has been published in Nature Communications, Bangor University researchers highlight the urgent need for domestic forestry expansion and improved management to meet growing wood demand sustainably.

Wood is a key low-carbon alternative to steel, concrete, and plastics, but the UK is the world’s second-largest wood importer and has amongst the lowest forest cover (13%) of any country in Europe.

With only 20% of demand met by homegrown timber, the country faces risks from fluctuating global prices and long-term “wood security” concerns.

Northern boreal forests

The study also found that relying on intensively harvested northern boreal forests—which store large amounts of carbon—could reduce the climate benefits of using wood in construction.

Increased logging in these forests could release more carbon than is saved by using wood instead of other materials.

The researchers worked in collaboration with Woodknowledge Wales, an independent for-public-good Community Benefit Society, which advances sustainable forestry, timber, and regenerative construction practices.

They developed an advanced framework for forward-looking life cycle assessment to assess the long-term climate impact of different forestry strategies, and are calling for a new approach to sustainable domestic wood production.

Rising wood demand

Their analysis shows that significantly increasing domestic wood production—through expanded forestry and improved management—could meet rising wood demand while still supporting climate goals. However, major changes in land use policy and forestry practices will be needed.

To meet even a modest annual increase in wood demand (1.1% per year[), productive forest area would need to be expanded by 50% over 50 years.

A more ambitious approach—doubling productive forest area and management changes to boost tree growth rates by 33%—would deliver 175% greater climate benefits.

However, if increase in wood demand is greater (2.3% per year), only a combination of doubling forest area and boosting tree growth rates by 33% would ensure long-term climate benefits.

Bangor University Professor John Healey, the senior author of the study said: “Our study highlights three major challenges for UK forestry. The first is expanding productive forests. Conifer forest expansion has stalled for 30 years, and harvestable wood supply is set to decline after 2039. Reversing this will require rethinking land use priorities.

“The second is improving forest management: Higher productivity must be sustained despite rising threats from pests, disease, and drought. The third is maximizing wood use efficiency: Processing wood with minimal waste, reusing it, and adopting circular economy principles will be critical.”

He added, “Major policy reform is needed to meet these challenges. To ensure use of wood in place of other materials remains a sustainable net zero solution, the UK must limit the increase in its dependence on wood imports to avoid shifting carbon emissions and biodiversity loss overseas. To enable this, land use strategy must be reformed to enable the required forestry expansion and productivity increase.

“Growing more of its own wood is essential—not just for UK net zero targets, but for the global fight against climate change.”

Gary Newman Chief Executive of Woodknowledge Wales said, “Woodknowledge Wales is delighted to be associated with this important paper. It makes a strong call to action for a long-term planting strategy, enhanced forest productivity and efficient wood use.”


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Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
15 days ago

Stop burning it…and make what we have as wildfire safe as possible, there is so much brush and scattered waste the whole deal needs rethinking for the future.

Government, the fire service and the landowners must get on the same side. You can’t expect the local volunteers cleaning up after you or loss of fauna. Not to mention the real possibility of human casualties from arson…

This is where we need a proper Welsh government not this semi-retirement home we have now…and no more priests in Secular Institutions

Last edited 15 days ago by Mab Meirion
hdavies15
hdavies15
15 days ago
Reply to  Mab Meirion

Living out in the remote countryside it is perfectly O.K to burn timber gathered from fallen or dying trees which can be allowed to dry out for a season. Then replace “dead” wood with fresh growth. It’s the odd muck that some owners of wood burners use that really stinks and must be full of toxic gases. Your point about the maintenance of undergrowth and general preventative work is well made. These are basic disciplines that have been neglected too long.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
15 days ago
Reply to  hdavies15

Sunday was wood gathering day, the old fella and me tiding up the forest verges and saw mills. We would also scour the old range above Tin Town for unexploded shells and mortar bombs, using skills he had learnt during the war, he was a National Park volunteer warden…

Now you see tons of logs piled high to be chipped and burnt, my chest is irritated by that smoke instantly…there are mini Drax’s all over the place nowadays…

Not outdoors in future, no campfires and BBQs from hikers, bikers and wild campers…

Last edited 15 days ago by Mab Meirion
Adrian
Adrian
15 days ago

The whole Net Zero fairy tale is based on the premise that if we out-source CO2 emissions then we’ve effectively negated them. CO2, as we all know, respects borders and boundaries, so if the gas is emitted in Port Talbot it won’t ever enter Neath’s atmosphere. This is just one wondrous aspect of the magical world of eco-loonism.

Hal
Hal
15 days ago
Reply to  Adrian

Agreed. Presumably carbon accounting works like regular accounting with options like a Double Irish Dutch Sandwich to avoid tax.

Tucker
Tucker
15 days ago
Reply to  Adrian

Zzzzzzz same old rubbish spouted by our Adrian.

Hal
Hal
15 days ago
Reply to  Tucker

Unusually, he’s right on this point. Emissions should be accounted based on where the end product is used. It must be cleaner to make and use something locally rather than import the very same thing from half way round the world. We shouldn’t be getting green credit for imports, unless those imports are actually cleaner than we could ever manage here even when shipping is factored.

hdavies15
hdavies15
15 days ago
Reply to  Hal

“Progressives” of all political colours jumped on the globalisation bandwagon with little or no regard for the environment they were damaging. Hauling cheap goods more than half way around the world to be sold at huge profits by large corporate retailers who couldn’t give a sh*t for the consumer – that’s the sum total of their concern. They did more to foster the urge for instant gratification, and did next to nothing to create half decent jobs for those who live in this country. And that attitude is still thriving today despite all the flannel and posturing.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
15 days ago
Reply to  hdavies15

Not all, fair play…

A small minority, but there is a great big shed in Porthmadog and a religious building or two in every seaside town that tells a tale in Mandarin…

All those textile mills around Manchester went east after the war…

Napoleon and the American Revolution crashed Welsh wool cloth exports and seriously hampered our merchant fleet…

Caesar completely changed the seascape for maritime trade…

It is an old tale as archaeologist and detectorists reveal…

It’s kind of a stupid name…

Hal
Hal
15 days ago
Reply to  hdavies15

That could change tomorrow if those demanding the goods “owned” the emissions of producing them and getting them to market. This would encourage policymaking that genuinely helped the environment rather than moving the problem someplace else. In some cases this would result in onshoring of some manufacturing and industry because that was the cleaner choice. It would also encourage and accelerate innovation to improve materials and processes to help get our own numbers down. But the current system means China is doing this innovating because they’ve got the most to gain being the biggest emitters. So we’re gifting them a… Read more »

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
15 days ago
Reply to  Hal

Exactly…and what will probably become ‘the moral ground’ and a blind eye to Taiwan, with Bannon about to become Pope…

More Who stuff ‘he’s a substitute for another guy’ history in the making, usually ends in tears…good luck kids…

Garycymru
Garycymru
15 days ago
Reply to  Adrian

May I ask what qualifications you hold in environmental or ecological areas?
You seem very passionate about the subject.

Gerallt Llewelyn Rhys.
Gerallt Llewelyn Rhys.
15 days ago

Like reliance on imported coal for steel production or imported anything really because it has to be got here and it can’t got year in thin air. Got it, earear.

Jeff
Jeff
15 days ago

Last time I was in a forest grown for timber, it was dead. Little or no diversity in tree species. How is this managed?

hdavies15
hdavies15
15 days ago
Reply to  Jeff

Some empty head on a big salary thought you just plant trees and they look after themselves. Ever seen any other crop cultivated in such a casual manner ?

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
15 days ago
Reply to  hdavies15

From the cradle to the grave, a child’s hand plants a twig then waits half a century and a piece of the grown, felled, milled, utilised and discarded portion of door frame is carried by the now grown man and placed in a separate container before being ?

So the job creation from one sapling is remarkable, don’t you think…

Last edited 15 days ago by Mab Meirion

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