IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute

This report presents the emissions and uptake of the greenhouse gases, CO2, N2O and CH4 connected with the Swedish forest industry in 1991. From the estimated emissions and uptake, the forest industry's contribution to the greenhouse effect has been estimated. Today's forest industry accounts for a net uptake of greenhouse gases by ca. 20 Mton CO2-equivalents/yr based on the combined effect from CO2, N20 and CH4. In total, the forest industry accounts for a net uptake of ca. 6,7 Mton C/yr as CO2, a net emission of ca. 10 kton N/yr as N2O and a net emission of ca. 0,8 Mton C/yr as CH4. The biogenic sources have the greatest influence on the subsequent total emissions. In order to compare the contribution to the greenhouse effect from different greenhouse gases, the term CO2-equivalents has ben used. This implies that the emissions of N2O and CH4 are recalculated to give the same greenhouse effect as the corresponding emission of CO2. A comparison between the forest industy's emissions and uptake of greenhouse gaes, shows that CO2 accounts for a net uptake of ca. 24 Mton CO2/yr, N2O for a net emisionn corresponding to ca. 4 Mton CO2-equivalents/yr, and CH4 fo a net emissions corresponding ot ca. 0,01 Mton CO2-equivalents/yr. Thus the Swedish forestry industry presently accounts for a net uptake of the greenhouse gases by ca. 20 Mton CO2-equivalents/yr. This net uptake is a consequence of Swedish's increasing forest biomass. In the future however, it is expected that a balance between emissions and uptake of CO2 will be reached. In this case N2O-emisssions and fossil fuel derived CO2-emissions will have a greater significance in determining the foret industry's total contribution to the greenhouse effect

This report presents the emissions and uptake of the greenhouse gases, CO2, N2O and CH4 connected with the Swedish forest industry in 1991. From the estimated emissions and uptake, the forest industry's contribution to the greenhouse effect has been estimated. Today's forest industry accounts for a net uptake of greenhouse gases by ca. 20 Mton CO2-equivalents/yr based on the combined effect from CO2, N20 and CH4. In total, the forest industry accounts for a net uptake of ca. 6,7 Mton C/yr as CO2, a net emission of ca. 10 kton N/yr as N2O and a net emission of ca. 0,8 Mton C/yr as CH4. The biogenic sources have the greatest influence on the subsequent total emissions. In order to compare the contribution to the greenhouse effect from different greenhouse gases, the term CO2-equivalents has ben used. This implies that the emissions of N2O and CH4 are recalculated to give the same greenhouse effect as the corresponding emission of CO2. A comparison between the forest industy's emissions and uptake of greenhouse gaes, shows that CO2 accounts for a net uptake of ca. 24 Mton CO2/yr, N2O for a net emisionn corresponding to ca. 4 Mton CO2-equivalents/yr, and CH4 fo a net emissions corresponding ot ca. 0,01 Mton CO2-equivalents/yr. Thus the Swedish forestry industry presently accounts for a net uptake of the greenhouse gases by ca. 20 Mton CO2-equivalents/yr. This net uptake is a consequence of Swedish's increasing forest biomass. In the future however, it is expected that a balance between emissions and uptake of CO2 will be reached. In this case N2O-emisssions and fossil fuel derived CO2-emissions will have a greater significance in determining the foret industry's total contribution to the greenhouse effect