Timber Gap Is Huge 'conundrum' For UK
Dec 12, 2022
At a recent UK parliamentary meeting on the environment, Confor chief executive Stuart Goodall told the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) that if UK timber demand continues to grow at the current target and pace, UK timber use could increase by 78% by 2050. %.
In recent years, in order to achieve decarbonization, the UK has successively formulated carbon emission targets for 2035 and 2050. In particular, it stipulates that by 2050, all buildings in the UK must achieve net zero carbon targets.
A group of industry groups, including the Royal Institute of British Architects, have come together to develop a building standard to certify net-zero carbon buildings in the UK, known as net zero carbon buildings. A framework definition for net-zero carbon buildings and corresponding building standards have even been formulated for this purpose (currently still collecting social data).
Driven by net zero carbon targets, the laminated timber construction industry in the UK is emerging due to the need to use more wood in construction to help decarbonise the UK construction industry and help achieve net zero targets. In the long run, the demand for timber will inevitably keep rising.
However, Goodall points out that the UK, and England in particular, has had very little planned production-oriented large-scale plantation over the past 30 years. In the context of growing global demand, the UK's domestic timber production capacity is insufficient, which will inevitably put pressure on increasing timber imports. Meanwhile, according to a new report from the COP27 climate summit, "globally, the gap between timber demand and supply will widen significantly," Goodall added.
"We do want to use more wood, otherwise we won't be able to achieve net zero emissions," it said. "The rapid increase in demand for wood also raises our concerns about the pressure on vulnerable forests. This will encourage illegal logging and it will have a negative impact on habitat." Negative impact. So for us, it's a difficult problem."
Ian Tubby (Ian Tubby) of the British Forestry Council pointed out that in the past three decades, most of the land in England has been planted with hardwood species (both hardwoods) and it is difficult to plant hardwoods such as oak according to building standards . Goodall agrees, adding: "We have members who want to be able to grow quality hardwoods, but face a huge challenge from squirrels and deer (gnawing and destroying). It is estimated that more than 90% of the hardwoods we currently produce are used in To make firewood, we would like to see more hardwood lumber going into construction and such markets.
