Informatics Publishing Limited

Meenakshi Gupta , M. Saleem , L. M. Gupta

Abstract

Forests contribute to global climate change through their influence on the global carbon (C) cycle. The world's forests store an estimated 536 Giga tons of Carbon (GtC) in biomass, 1104GtC in soils (to a depth of 3m) and additional amounts in dead organic matter pools, including fine and coarse woody debris. Accounting for the imbalance in the global C cycle suggests that forests are not significantly contributing to the net increase in atmospheric CO₂ and thus not playing a major role in global climate change. But this may not continue into the future as temperate and boreal forests reach maturity and become a smaller C sink, and if rates of tropical deforestation and degradation continue to accelerate. Mitigation options by the forestry sector include extending carbon retention in harvested wood products, product substitution, and producing biomass for bio-energy. Aggressive adoption of these forest management options are necessary to prevent forests from becoming a significant net source of CO₂ to the atmosphere in the future and contributing to climate change.

Keywords

Carbon, Climatic Change, Forests, Mitigation

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Meenakshi Gupta , L. M. Gupta

Abstract

Presently fossil fuel intensive construction materials (concrete, steel, aluminium, plastic, etc.) have replaced the wood and the wood products which were common in the past. The trend has contributed significantly to complex climate change problem. Wood products offer an advantage over these materials as they are made from renewable raw material, require lower fossil fuel energy inputs during their manufacturing, highly recyclable and store carbon as long as in use and beyond, when the product is re-used or recycled for secondary material or energy recovery. Wood and its products are the store houses of the carbon initially trapped in trees. The inclusion of wood and wood based products into carbon accounting will constitute a positive step to increase wood consumption and carbon removals from the atmosphere. It is especially of importance to developing nations like India which cannot compromise on development amidst fast growing world. Wood products and allied industries with proper governmental support will help the country to achieve high end gains in addition to carbon sequestration and mitigating global climate change.

Keywords

Wood, Wood Products, Climate Change Mitigation, Carbon Sequestration

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