SINKING INCREASED CLIMATE ACTION TARGETS INTO FORESTRY

THE existing EU Effort Sharing Regulation, published in July 2016, provides a binding annual GHG emissions target by 2030.

Under the proposal, Ireland has the flexibility to use credits of up to 27 million tonnes CO2 equivalent over this period in order to help meet its emission reduction requirements.

Afforestation is forecast to be an accountable sink of 22 million tonnes of this. This is based on a combined contribution of net afforestation, cropland and grassland management activities.

This figure does not include the substitution of materials in other sectors, which are an additional benefit to meet- ing our emission reduction targets.

Proposed rules will also encourage the use of harvested timber for long-lived products, eg in construction.

This would result in more carbon being accumulated in the harvested wood products ‘pool’.

Young forests

All this demonstrates how much Ireland needs trees, woodlands and forests in combating climate change.

New woodlands and forests established now will have a particularly important and beneficial role to play beyond 2030.

Climate change mitigation is strongly dependent on having young forests coming on to balance out harvest and other decreases in carbon stocks.

A significant national planting programme is required to maintain the climate change benefits of Irish forests over the next two decades.

Achievement of this goal will not only sustain the ability of the national forest estate to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, it will also provide a renewable energy resource and a sustainable raw material for construction as well as a range of other uses.

Expansion of the national forest estate is a key component of national climate change and land use policy.