Speaker
Description
Belgium’s circular forestry and timber sector holds major untapped climate potential. One dry kg of wood stores 1.83 kg of CO₂, sequestered during tree growth. Forests offer not only carbon storage, but also biodiversity, well-being, and sustainable, low-impact materials. Belgium’s forest sink captures 1.4 MtCO₂e/year, while the domestic harvest holds 4.5 MtCO₂e/year. Additional timber imports further increase the stored carbon stock, especially in long-lived buildings. However, 4.1 MtCO₂e/year of wood waste remains underutilized.
Key emission reduction strategies include: (i) improving forest sink assessments under climate change, (ii) extending Harvested Wood Product (HWP) lifespans, (iii) replacing concrete and steel—cutting emissions by 10–15%—and fossil-based chemicals with bio-based alternatives, and (iv) managing and optimizing the urban timber carbon stock.
Belgium’s forest landscapes, high population density, and access to timber imports make it well-positioned for climate-smart timber valorization. Our approach includes six innovation pathways:
1. Forest Sink – Use CAT/CAPSIS modeling to assess carbon storage and forest resilience.
2. Urban Sink – Quantify building carbon stocks through dynamic LCA.
3. Engineered Wood – Create laminated timber from mixed, undervalued species.
4. Durability – Thermally modify wood and produce biochar to extend lifespan.
5. Circular Timber – Manufacture laminated products from reused wood.
6. Wood Waste Valorization – Extract lignin for bio-based specialty chemicals.
These approaches reduce emissions through both carbon storage and material substitution, making timber a low-hanging fruit for decarbonization. Engineered products lock carbon for a mid- to long-term, while bio-based chemicals replace high-emission fossil alternatives.
| If your abstract is not accepted for an oral presentation, would you be interested in presenting it as a poster instead? | Yes |
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| If accepted by the Scientific Board, I agree to have my presentation/poster and abstract published on the Belgian Climate Centre websites and social media. | Yes |
