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What Is a Sustainable Level of Timber Consumption in the EU: Toward Global and EU Benchmarks for Sustainable Forest Use

Author

Listed:
  • Meghan O’Brien

    (Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, 42103 Wuppertal, Germany)

  • Stefan Bringezu

    (Center for Environmental Systems Research, University of Kassel, 34117 Kassel, Germany)

Abstract

Renewable energy targets in the European Union (EU) have raised the demand for timber and are expected to increase dependence on imports. However, EU timber consumption levels are already disproportionally high compared to the rest of the world. The question is, how much timber is available for the EU to sustainably harvest and import, in particular considering sustainable forest management practices, a safe operating space for land-system change, and the global distribution of “common good” resources. This article approaches this question from a supply angle to develop a reference value range for the current as well as future sustainable supply of timber at the EU-27 and global levels. For current supply estimates, national-level data on forest area available for wood supply, productivity in that area, as well as the rate available for harvest were collected and aggregated into three potential supply scenarios. For future supply estimates, a safe operating space scenario halting land use change, a sensitivity analysis, and a literature review were performed. To provide both a comparison of global versus EU sustainable supply capacities and to develop a benchmark toward evaluating and comparing levels of consumption to sustainable supply capacities, per capita calculations were made. Results revealed that the per capita sustainable supply potential of EU forests is estimated to be around three times higher than the global average in 2050. Whether a global or EU reference value is more appropriate for EU policy orientation, considering both strengthened economic and cultural ties to the forest in forest-rich countries as well as the need to prevent problem shifting associated with exporting land demands abroad, is discussed. Further research is needed to strengthen and harmonize data, improve methods for modeling future scenarios and incorporate interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder perspectives toward the development of robust and politically relevant reference values for sustainable consumption levels.

Suggested Citation

  • Meghan O’Brien & Stefan Bringezu, 2017. "What Is a Sustainable Level of Timber Consumption in the EU: Toward Global and EU Benchmarks for Sustainable Forest Use," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-18, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:5:p:812-:d:98485
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Omar. A. Alghamdi & Gomaa Agag, 2024. "Understanding Factors Affecting Consumers’ Conscious Green Purchasing Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-22, January.
    2. Stefan Bringezu, 2019. "Toward Science-Based and Knowledge-Based Targets for Global Sustainable Resource Use," Resources, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-21, August.
    3. O'Brien, Meghan & Bringezu, Stefan, 2018. "European Timber Consumption: Developing a Method to Account for Timber Flows and the EU's Global Forest Footprint," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 322-332.
    4. Julia Szulecka, 2019. "Towards Sustainable Wood-Based Energy: Evaluation and Strategies for Mainstreaming Sustainability in the Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-21, January.
    5. Erik Gawel & Nadine Pannicke & Nina Hagemann, 2019. "A Path Transition Towards a Bioeconomy—The Crucial Role of Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-23, May.
    6. Meghan O’Brien & Stefan Bringezu, 2017. "Assessing the Sustainability of EU Timber Consumption Trends: Comparing Consumption Scenarios with a Safe Operating Space Scenario for Global and EU Timber Supply," Land, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-16, December.

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