Increased Timber In Construction Commitment Pledged At COP28

The announcement made overnight at COP 28 for an increased use of timber in construction as a vital decarbonisation tool is applauded by the wood processing and manufacturers association.

With key allies such as the United States, Japan, Australia, and Great Britain committed to the pledge, New Zealand must now get on board and be part of the global coalition.

‘The construction sector and the built environment accounts for more than a third of global emissions and it is critical that countries move quickly to lower carbon emissions and increase stored carbon by using far more timber in buildings’ said Chief Executive Mark Ross.

‘Initiatives such as the ‘Building for Climate Change’ regulatory programme and ‘lowest carbon building procurement policy’ are good starts’, said Ross, ‘but more needs to be done by the government such as recognition of the value gained in long-term carbon storage from the domestic manufacture of harvested wood products’.

‘As a country we have a lot to gain through supporting increased timber usage. It is essential that our new government now steps up and joins the global parties in committing to advancing policies and approaches that support low carbon construction’.

The announcement reads:

Recognizing that wood from sustainably managed forests provides climate solutions within the construction sector, we commit to, by 2030, advancing policies and approaches that support low carbon construction and increase the use of wood from sustainably managed forests in the built environment. Such policies and approaches will result in reduced GHG emissions, and an increase in stored carbon.

* https://forestclimateleaders.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Greening-construction-sustainable-wood-FAQ.pdf

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