"SwissForestLab Dialog" with the Swiss Forestry Association

Net zero 2050 - The contribution of the forestry sector

Date: November 10, 2022, 08.00 - 17.00, followed by a networking aperitif

Venue: WSL Birmensdorf

Organizer: SwissForestLab and Swiss Forestry Association, supported by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL and FOEN

Language: German and French (The presentations will be simultaneously translated into French)

Target audience: Forest managers, forest decision-makers, forest experts, members of the Swiss Forestry Association and SwissForestLab

 

Following the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 and the follow-up meetings in Glasgow, various countries have set themselves the goal of reducing their greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 - including Switzerland. This conference explores how the forestry sector can contribute to achieving this goal and what political framework conditions are needed to do so.

The forestry sector can essentially make three contributions to net zero: Firstly, it can store CO2 by using wood and through the sink capacity of the forest. Secondly, it can contribute to the substitution of fossil fuels with the raw material wood. Thirdly, it can and must itself reduce CO2 emissions through forest management.

In the "SwissForestLab Dialogue" with the Swiss Forestry Association, these topics are addressed and the current state of knowledge is summarized. In a dialog between research and practice, the participants will be guided through the wide range of topics with input presentations and concrete examples of implementation, resulting in a diverse, exciting and instructive conference, answers will be worked out together and open questions will be compiled.

Program

Download daily program as PDF

 

08:00

Registration

09:30

Welcome

Andreas Rigling (ETHZ), conference moderator

Regina Wollenmann, Simon Janssen (Swiss Forestry Association)

Arthur Gessler (SwissForestLab)

09:35

Net zero 2050 - The contribution of the forestry sector from the SFV's perspective

Regina Wollenmann, Simon Janssen (Swiss Forestry Association)

10:10

Operational challenges in the forestry sector: yesterday, today and tomorrow

Daniel Wenk (Liestal civic community and forestry operation)

10:45

Break

11:15

Climate protection services of the forest and wood sector in Switzerland: quantification of different scenarios

Esther Thürig (WSL)

11:50

Climate protection starts in the forest: CO2 savings in the wood production chain

Janine Schweier (WSL)

12:25

Climate protection achievements of the forest and wood sector in Swiss policy

Marjo Kunnala (FOEN, Forest Division)

13:00

Lunch

14:30

Examples of implementation (1st round): What concrete contribution do we make to net zero?

Innovative wood-based materials
Ingo Burgert (Wood Materials Science, ETHZ)
Content: Expanding the application potential of wood through improved properties and new functions

Sustainable investment with wood
Erik Reichmuth (Timber Finance Initiative)
Content: Presentation of the Swiss Competence Center for Timber Investments

Valorization of the forest sink performance
Hubertus Schmidtke (Forest Climate Protection Switzerland)
Content: Methodology and objectives of the Swiss Forest Climate Protection Association

Heat grows in the forest
Andreas Keel (Wood Energy Switzerland)
Content: Contribution and role of wood energy in the context of "Net Zero 2050" with typical examples and their challenges

circularWOOD - circular economy in timber construction
Sonja Geier (Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Engineering & Architecture)
Content: How do forests, wood and society fit into a common picture? Reflections on the potential based on practical examples

Promotion of wood as a building and construction material in the Canton of Zurich
Simon Ammann (Canton of Zurich Forestry Department), Noëmi Brüggemann (EcoEng)
Content: Potential and options for action for the Canton of Zurich, implementation of corresponding measures, challenges

15:10

Examples of implementation (2nd round): What concrete contribution are we making to net zero?

15:40

Break

16:00

Final discussion, conclusion

16:30

Aperitif