Page 20 - Georgia Forestry - Issue 3 - Summer 2024

The Carbon
Value Conversation
Carbon Data Strategy Presents
New Opportunities for Forestry in Georgia
By John Casey & David Butler
provide answers for what the market is demanding — from seedlings to sustain- able solutions. As the leading state in forestry, Georgia boasts a booming eco- nomic sector and a naturally conducive climate for wood growth, paired with a culture of innovation and sustainable land management practices. With nearly 50% more wood grown than harvested, the state is well-positioned to capitalize on carbon commoditization.
Environmental, Economic Benefits Go ‘Hand in Hand’
The path to net zero emissions has trig- gered serious investments in forest carbon sequestration projects that give businesses the ability to offset emissions. However, the future carbon market is not solely focused on carbon credits. The potential for significant investments in forestry lies in the inherent sustainability of forest products, and the ability of wood fiber to unlock meaningful reductions in opera- tional emissions (or embodied carbon).
“People believe that it’s always humans versus the environment or the economy versus the environment. With today’s modern forestry, that is just not the case,” said Ethan Breitling, vice presi- dent for communications and creative at the National Alliance of Forest Owners (NAFO). “Not only are the environmental and economic benefits mutually reinforc- ing, but they also go hand in hand. You
Around the world, there are growing commitments from governments, corpo- rations and investors to reduce, offset or eliminate emissions by 2030. According to the United Nations Finance Initiative, more than $57 trillion in assets under man- agement have been committed to net-zero emissions by 2050 and 42% of global For- tune 500 companies have committed to reduce or eliminate emissions by 2030.
Forestry-based investments represent a significant solution to at-scale carbon
sequestration and avoided emissions through increased utilization of sustain- able forest products in place of carbon-in- tensive products like fossil-fuel-based plastics, rare earth minerals, and concrete and steel. However, without clear, verifi- able data to support the emissions-reduc- ing power hidden in our working forests, unlocking meaningful investment in forests and forest products may be an unattainable goal.
Georgia is uniquely positioned to
GLOBAL FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES THAT HAVE COMMITTED TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE EMISSIONS BY 2030
18 | GEORGIA FORESTRY
MIKE GREGORY