Climate Change and Forests


8000 Megatonnes
(20% of global GHG)
of carbon dioxide is is released yearly due to tropical deforestation in developing countries, mostly due to forests converted to agriculture and urban development.  source: World GHG Emissions Flow Chart ,World Resources Institute 
Up to
1 tonne
of carbon dioxide per cubic meter of growing trees is absorbed while 0.70 tonne resulting oxygen is released . source: European Fact Sheet 3: Wood Products as Carbon Stores,CEI-Bois Roadmap 2010 		   
120 years
Maximum age North American trees absorb carbon dioxide and positively contribute to carbon storage.
source: Forests, Carbon and Climate Change: A Synthesis of Science Findings

More carbon
is avoided through active forest management for wood products than if the forest is left alone. source: Forests, Carbon and Climate Change: A Synthesis of Science Findings
     23.8 Megatonnes
of carbon dioxide sequestered in Canadian Forests in 2006 source: Canada's Forest - Statistic Canadian Forest Service (CFS) NRC
721 Megatonnes
of carbon dioxide: Canada's 2006 emmissions source: Canada's 2006 GHG Inventory, Environment Canada
558 Megatonnes
of carbon dioxide: Kyoto emission target 2008-2012 for Canada source: Canada's 2006 GHG Inventory, Environment Canada