Managing forests to meet climate objectives: trade-offs to be made

Abstract

Highlighted at the COP21 in Paris in 2015 for its capacity to absorb carbon from the atmosphere, sustainable forest management is considered as a means of slowing global warming. A study published in October 2018 in the journal Nature simulated different forest management scenarios in Europe, taking into account both carbon sequestration and the biophysical effects of forests on the climate to estimate the contribution of European forest management to achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement. This study shows that managing European forests to maximise their carbon sink would not affect the climate, contrary to the expectations of the Paris Agreement, and that such a strategy would imply a considerable reduction in wood production.