UN Experts and Environmental Advocates Urge Canada to Accurately Report Logging's Climate Impact
A recent report from groups such as Nature Canada reveals that logging in Canada could be the third-largest source of carbon emissions if reported separately. This places logging emissions behind only oil and gas production and transportation, according to the findings released on Wednesday.
The report argues that Canada's failure to separate logging emissions from overall land sector emissions misrepresents the industry as environmentally friendly. UN experts, who review Canada's emissions reports annually, have also questioned the country's unique reporting methods.
Jennifer Skene, a co-author of the report and global forest policy manager for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), described logging as a significant emissions source that is not being transparently reported.
Challenges in Emissions Measurement
Globally, there is no uniform standard for measuring land sector emissions due to varying climates and methodologies. For Canada, which manages about 10% of the world's forests, accurate emissions reporting is crucial.
The report identifies several problems with Canada's emissions measurement. Current UN guidelines allow countries to offset their emissions with carbon removed by trees, which can obscure the true emissions from logging. The report suggests Canada should disclose logging emissions separately to provide a clearer picture of its $33-billion industry's climate impact.
Additionally, the categorization of land as "managed" varies by region. Some provinces, like British Columbia and Alberta, classify all their forests as managed due to fire suppression and logging, while others, like Ontario and Quebec, have a northern limit beyond which forests are not considered managed. This inconsistency affects the final emissions data since carbon removals by trees are counted in managed areas.
Unaccounted Emissions from Wildfires
The report highlights that Canada does not include emissions from wildfires and insect outbreaks in its forestry sector totals—a practice not followed by most countries. Last year's wildfires, including the devastating Jasper fire, have significantly increased emissions. Canada currently attributes the carbon absorbed by regrowing forests to the forestry sector, even though wildfire emissions are excluded.
A recent UN review criticized Canada for downplaying the impact of human-induced climate factors on wildfires, arguing that the country's stance is not supported by long-term data.
Recent Revisions and Future Plans
In response to recent scrutiny, the Canadian government has revised its emissions reporting. The latest National Inventory Report shows managed lands emitted 51 megatonnes of CO2 in 2022, a significant shift from previous years when these lands were reported as a carbon sink. The recalculation stems from new definitions of "managed" forests, resulting in higher reported emissions.
The report also reveals that, if reported separately, logging emissions would total 147 megatonnes, ranking behind only oil and gas (217 megatonnes) and transportation (156 megatonnes). Anthony Taylor, author of a related study, emphasized that Canada's managed forests are not as effective in countering climate change as sometimes claimed.
The Forest Products Association of Canada, an industry group, declined to comment on the new report but has previously defended Canada's accounting methods and the sector's role in providing climate-friendly materials.
Natural Resources Canada plans to improve its emissions calculations with a multi-year strategy, which includes refining the extent of managed lands and better estimating emissions from oil and gas impacts and wildfires. The department asserts that its approach is based on scientific evidence.