Background
The carbon cycle is affected when forests are harvested. CO2 is released during harvesting and manufacture of wood products and by the use and disposal of wood. Much of the wood that is harvested remains in products for differing lengths of time. The 2006 IPCC guidelines provides guidance on how to estimate and report the contribution of these harvested wood products (HWP) to annual CO2 emissions/ removals. HWP is normally reported by product categories with different life-cycles such as paper, wood panels and sawn wood and include emissions from the decay of existing HWPs and the increase in carbon stocks through addition of new HWPs. Emissions from the loss of carbon stored in firewood, wood pellets and wood chips with a short lifespan are normally considered as instantaneous oxidation and not reported as HWP.
At its twenty-sixth session (FCCC/SBSTA/2007/4, paragraphs 59-61), issues related to harvested wood products (HWP) were considered together with the SBSTA agenda item on IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories. The SBSTA recalled that, at its twenty-fourth session, it had invited Parties in a position to do so to voluntarily report on HWP in their national inventories in a manner consistent with current UNFCCC reporting guidelines (FCCC/SBSTA/2006/5, paragraph 68). At its twenty-sixth session, the SBSTA decided to discuss reporting of HWP in the context of its consideration of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines.
In addition to issues on reporting, the SBSTA also considered other issues relating to HWP. These issues, including socio-economic and environmental implications and several potential impacts arising from the application of the approaches for accounting of emissions and removals relating to HWP, were raised at SBSTA 21 (FCCC/SBSTA/2004/13, paragraph 31). At this session, the SBSTA agreed to consider these other issues relating to HWP in the context of the consideration of broader issues relating to land use, land-use change and forestry, at future sessions.
SBSTA 24 invited Parties in a position to do so to voluntarily report on harvested wood products in their national inventories in a manner consistent with current UNFCCC reporting guidelines.
SBSTA 23 further considered methodological issues relating to the estimation of changes in carbon stocks and GHG emissions from harvested wood products (HWP). Data and information on changes in carbon stocks and emissions of GHG from HWP and experiences with the use of relevant guidelines and good practice guidance of the IPCC to generate such data and information were submitted by Parties (FCCC/SBSTA/2005/MISC.9, Add. 1 and Add.2). FCCC/SBSTA/2005/INF.7 presents information on HWP contained in previous submissions from Parties and in national inventory reports for consideration. The SBSTA will continue the consideration of this item at its twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth sessions.
The workshop on harvested wood products (HWP) took place in Lillehammer, Norway from 30 August to 1 September 2004. Fifty-nine representatives of Parties and organizations attended the workshop. Discussions covered definitions and scope, and methods for estimating and reporting emissions and removals from HWP and approaches for accounting and their implications. A workshop report, FCCC/SBSTA/2004/INF.11, prepared by the secretariat, was considered by the SBSTA at its twenty-first session.
At the same session, the SBSTA noted the need to further analyse the socio-economic and environmental implications, impacts on forest carbon stocks and emissions in Annex I and non-Annex I Parties, impacts on sustainable forest management, and impacts on trade, of reporting GHG emissions resulting from the production, use and disposal of HWP, including those arising from the application of the accounting approaches.
SBSTA 19 considered the item on harvested wood products. The SBSTA took note of the information contained in the technical paper, FCCC/TP/2003/7 and Corr.1, as well as the appendix on methodologies relating to harvested wood products in the IPCC GPG LULUCF. At this session, the SBSTA also requested the secretariat to organize a workshop on harvested wood products prior to SBSTA 21.
SBSTA 15 (meeting with COP 7) considered issues related to LULUCF; namely "development of good practice guidance and other information for the land use, land-use change and forestry sector" and "issues relating to emissions from forest harvesting and wood products". The SBSTA welcomed the IPCC work programme on LULUCF which was made available to the meeting and invited the IPCC to report periodically on the progress of its work on LULUCF issues. The SBSTA also requested the secretariat to prepare a paper on harvested wood products accounting for consideration at SBSTA 19, and, if necessary, at subsequent sessions.