Can Wood Really Cool the Planet in the Long Term?

Using sawmill residues to produce energy while capturing the released carbon dioxide helps sustainably reduce global temperatures. This approach combines biomass energy with geological carbon storage, a method that removes CO₂ from the atmosphere and stores it underground for centuries. However, its effectiveness depends on how the wood is harvested and processed before being burned.

Forests play a key role in climate regulation by absorbing CO₂. However, if trees are left to grow without being harvested, their carbon storage capacity declines with age and becomes vulnerable to fires or diseases. On the other hand, transforming wood into products like particleboards before using it for energy offers a dual benefit. First, these products replace more polluting materials such as plastic or concrete, thereby reducing industrial emissions. Second, the carbon remains stored in the wood for decades before ultimately being captured during energy production.

A recent study shows that this cascading method—first manufacturing wood products, then burning them to produce energy while capturing CO₂—is more effective at cooling the planet than directly burning wood residues. It also buys time to develop the necessary carbon capture infrastructure. Even in a world where the economy is almost fully decarbonized, this approach would continue to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere.

The main advantage lies in the permanence of geological carbon storage, which is far more secure than relying solely on forests. While forests are valuable, they can suddenly release their stored carbon in the event of a fire or storm. In contrast, carbon buried underground remains trapped indefinitely.

To maximize climate benefits, it is crucial to manage forests sustainably. This means harvesting as much wood as the forest naturally produces each year. As a result, trees regrow and continue to absorb CO₂ while providing a constant source of biomass for energy and materials. This strategy balances wood production with climate protection, avoiding the depletion of forest ecosystem carbon reserves.

However, the widespread adoption of this method will depend on how quickly carbon capture technologies are deployed. The sooner these infrastructures develop, the greater and more lasting the temperature reductions will be. Public policies must therefore encourage both smart forest management and investment in capture technologies to make this solution realistic and effective on a large scale.

Source Mentions

Cited Publication

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03333-1

Title: Cascading wood use into bioenergy with carbon capture and storage ensures continuous and enduring temperature reduction

Journal: Communications Earth & Environment

Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Authors: George Bishop; Colm Duffy; Göran Berndes; Miguel Brandão; Annette Cowie; John R. Healey; Christiane Hennig; Kati Koponen; James Gaffey; David Styles