The 106Gt saving is about 10 per cent of the remaining carbon budget for the 2°C climate target, the researchers said.
Besides the harvest from natural forests, newly established timber plantations are required for supplying construction wood. While this does not interfere with food production, a loss of biodiversity may occur if not carefully managed.
The study analyses the impacts of a large-scale transition to timber cities on land use, land-use change emissions, and long-term carbon storage in harvested wood products.
“More than half the world’s population currently lives in cities, and by 2100 this number will increase significantly. This means more homes will be built with steel and concrete, most of which have a serious carbon footprint,” said Abhijeet Mishra, lead author of the study. “But we have an alternative: We can house the new urban population in mid-rise buildings – that is 4 to 12 storeys – made out of wood.”
Wood is known as a renewable...