Living in timber cities could avoid more than 100 billion tons of CO2 emissions by 2100

New research by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in Germany suggests that living in timber cities could avoid emissions. The new study shows that housing a growing population in homes made of wood rather than conventional steel and concrete could prevent more than 100 billion tonnes of emissions of greenhouse gas CO2 until 2100. These represent about 10 per cent of the carbon budget still available for the 2°C climate target. For the supply of construction wood, newly established timber plantations are necessary in addition to the harvest from natural forests. Even though this has no impact on food production, the scientists warn that if the situation is not carefully managed, biodiversity may suffer. The study is the first to examine the effects of a widespread switch to timber cities on land use, emissions related to land use change, and long-term carbon sequestration in harvested wood products. It was published in the journal - Nature Communications.