This publication provides an overview for policymakers and decision takers on how sustainably grown wood can contribute to the efforts of cities to reducing the carbon footprint in the built environment. The document emphasizes the carbon and other technical advantages of an increased use of wood as low carbon construction material in cities in the ECE region and beyond. It further provides guidance on how various actors could contribute to facilitating an increased utilization of wood from sustainable sources as a key raw material in low carbon construction in cities.

Forest information systems (FIS) play a crucial role in effective forest management and evidence-based decision-making processes. They provide a comprehensive and integrated approach to collect analyse and disseminate data and information related to forest ecosystems. This guide aims to equip users with the knowledge and practical tools necessary to carry out a pre-analysis for the efficient development and implementation of forest information systems at national level. The different sections include specific exercises and learning objectives offering step-by-step instructions to help practitioners understand develop and implement the outlined processes. The exercises covered in the guide include institutional mapping understanding the organizational context as well as defining business and IT-related objectives of a FIS programme. Each exercise is accompanied by introductions to the topics and explanations of the context. The guide emphasizes the importance of active stakeholder engagement and participatory analysis throughout the FIS development process. It encourages users to identify key-stakeholders gather relevant information on the national context and use this data for informed decisions. Additionally the guide provides guidance on mapping activities in the national forest sector as well as establishing linkages between actors activities and demands.

The Forest Products Annual Market Review 2022-2023 provides a comprehensive analysis of markets in the UNECE region and reports on the main market influences beyond the region. It covers products from the forest to the end user and from roundwood and primary processed products to value-added housing and wood energy. Statistics-based chapters analyse the markets sawn hardwood and wood-based panels. Underlying the analysis is a comprehensive collection of data. The Review highlights the role of sustainable forest products in international markets discusses policies concerning forests and forest products assesses the main trends and drivers and analyses the effects of the current economic situation on forest product markets.

The Forest Products Annual Market Review 2021-2022 provides a comprehensive analysis of markets in the UNECE region and reports on the main market influences beyond the region. It covers products from the forest to the end user and from roundwood and primary processed products to value-added housing and wood energy. Statistics-based chapters analyse the markets for wood raw materials sawnwood wood-based panels paper paperboard and woodpulp. Underlying the analysis is a comprehensive collection of data. The Review highlights the role of sustainable forest products in international markets discusses policies concerning forests and forest products assesses the main trends and drivers and analyses the effects of the current economic situation on forest product markets.

The world’s prevalent economic model based on a ‘take-make-use-dispose’ approach cannot maintain and raise human standards of living without causing environmental degradation and incurring economic risks. Decoupling economic activity from the increasing demand for natural resources could be done through circular bio-based economy approaches leading to a regenerative growth model allowing humankind to reduce its environmental footprint on the planet. The forest sector situated in both the biological and technical cycles of a circular economy is well suited to embrace a circular bio-based economic model. However challenges in the overall circularity of forest-based value chains persist as a result of the sector’s traditional means of operation. To ensure the sustainability of the forest-based value chains continuous consideration and coordination of circularity at all stages of the value chains are needed. A viable starting point for this is with the principles of sustainable forest management (SFM) following by the optimized cascading use of wood at every production stage and concluding with the recovery of post-consumer wood at the end of value chains. This study analyses the existing and possible limitations to circular approaches in forest-based industries namely the woodworking industry (focusing on sawn wood processing bioenergy production and wood in construction) the furniture industry the paper and pulp industry as well as industry using cellulose-based fibres and cellulose-based plastics. The analysis provides evidence that not all circular approaches are sustainable under all circumstances. In some cases the focus on circularity may cause environmental externalities in other cases it may not guarantee economic viability. While the transition to a circular bio-based economy can be facilitated by a legislator the process will need to develop organically based on the location of industries proximity to available (waste) resources and consumer preferences.

The Forest Products Annual Market Review 2021-2021 provides a comprehensive analysis of markets in the UNECE region and reports on the main market influences beyond the region. It covers products from the forest to the end-user and from roundwood and primary processed products to value-added housing and wood energy. Statistics-based chapters analyze the markets for wood raw materials sawnwood wood-based panels paper paperboard and wood pulp. Underlying the analysis is a comprehensive collection of data. The Review highlights the role of sustainable forest products in international markets discusses policies concerning forests and forest products assesses the main trends and drivers and analyses the effects of the current economic situation on forest product markets.

The Forest Products Annual Market Review 2018-2019 provides a comprehensive analysis of markets in the UNECE region and reports on the main market influences outside the UNECE region. It covers the range of products from the forest to the end-user:from roundwood and primary processed products to value-added and housing. Statistics-based chapters analyse the markets for wood raw materials sawn softwood sawn hardwood wood-based panels paper paperboard and woodpulp. Other chapters analyse policies forest products trade barriers affecting the UNECE region and markets for wood energy. Underlying the analysis is a comprehensive collection of data. The Review highlights the role of sustainable forest products in international markets. Policies concerning forests and forest products are discussed as well as the main drivers and trends. The Review also analyses the effects of the current economic situation on forest products markets.

This study presents the forest resources and the forest sector of the region including trends in and pressures on the resource to describe the policies and institutions for the forest sector in the region and to list the major challenges the sector faces and the policy responses in place or planned. It is a cooperative effort by the author the UNECE/FAO secretariat and national experts done with the use of the best available data. It covers all dimensions of sustainable forest management and includes national profiles of all countries of the region.

This publication provides a comprehensive analysis of markets in the UNECE region and reports on the main market influences outside the UNECE region. It covers the range of products from the forest to the end-user: from roundwood and primary processed products to value-added and housing. Statistics-based chapters analyse the markets for wood raw materials sawn softwood sawn hardwood wood-based panels paper paperboard and woodpulp. Other chapters analyse policies trade barriers affecting forest products and markets for wood energy. The Review highlights the role of sustainable forest products in international markets. It also analyses the effects of the current economic situation on forest products markets.

The UNECE/FAO Forest Products Annual Market Review 2014-2015 provides general and statistical information on forest products markets and related policies in the UN Economic Commission for Europe region (Europe North America and the Commonwealth of Independent States). The Review begins with an overview chapter followed by analysis of government and industry policies and market-based implements affecting forest products markets. The third chapter is on institutional forestland ownership. Five chapters are based on annual country-supplied statistics describing: wood raw materials sawn softwood sawn hardwood wood-based panels and paper paperboard and woodpulp. Additional chapters discuss markets for wood energy value-added wood products and housing. In each chapter production trade and consumption are analysed and relevant material on specific markets is included. Tables and graphs provided throughout the text present summary information.