Q & A

How can the timber industry help to reduce and offset Australias greenhouse gas emissions?

Through production of materials that do not require large amounts of energy in their manufacture, and through increasing the area of plantations that will absorb carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. Storing carbon in wood this way is called carbon sequestration.

Isnt it better for the environment to substitute other products for timber?

No. Timber produced from forests that are regrown is one of the worlds few renewable products. Producing alternative building products, such as steel, aluminium and concrete, uses significantly more fossil fuels than timber (see below). Steel and aluminium in particular, also release much higher levels of carbon, in the form of the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.

What is the Forest Product Commission doing in regard to greenhouse gas emissions?

The Commission is currently involved in a collaborative research project with the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Greenhouse Accounting (see their website at www.greenhouse.crc.org.au).

Research measures how much carbon is trapped or liberated in the manufacture and use of timber building products in a range of building types during their service life. This will provide information to inform Government policy to Greenhouse issues affecting the building and construction industry and also help consumers and their building designers and builders discern which building materials will help them to manage their personal responsibilities to national Greenhouse gas abatement.