The UK has a commitment to reach ‘net-zero’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050, and significant tree planting targets have been proposed in each of the countries to help achieve this through the carbon sequestration that woodlands and forestry can provide. There is therefore a need to understand the latest evidence on forestry, carbon and GHG balances, to enable policy making to effectively manage forest carbon alongside other benefits as part of sustainable forest management.

This summary report, published on 27^th July 2022, was commissioned to estimate and compare the potential for carbon sequestration (net CO₂ uptake) and GHG emissions avoided by the use of harvested wood products in place of other materials, that could be realised by creating different types of woodlands.