Paper and wood: Forest products show signs of recovery, says UN agency

The global forest products sector rebounded in 2024 after a sharp decline the year before, according to a new report report released Wednesday by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

FAO statistics cover 77 product categories, 27 product groups and more than 245 countries and territories. The report presents recent trends in data for trade and for each of the major forest product groups.

What are the most important trends?

Global international trade in wood and paper products gained momentum againwith modest growth recorded for most major product groups, according to the FAO.

• The rebound comes after an overall decline of 14 percent in trade in wood and paper products in 2023.
• Industrial roundwood disposal, referring to the total amount of wood harvested for purposes other than energy, increased by two percent in 2024, although global trade fell by one percent.
• Global production of sawn timber, such as planks, beams and other wood products, remained virtually unchanged, but varied regionally. The sawn timber trade showed no overall change from 2023.
• Wood-based panels grew for the second year in a row. Global production grew by 5 percent.
• Wood pulp production rose by three percent to 189 million tons, while international trade grew by two percent to a record high of 73 million tons.
• Wood pellets have experienced extraordinary growth in recent decades, mainly due to bioenergy targets in Europe, the Republic of Korea and Japan. After a slight dip in 2023, global production returned to 48 million tonnes in 2024, equal to 2022 levels.

Why it matters

Different types of trees can be used for housing, shelter, warmth, food, medicine, and even textiles or buildings.

“Forests support the livelihoods of millions of people worldwide, and this number is expected to rise as forests provide greater economic opportunities in a growing number of industries, including sustainable timber production,” said FAO Director Dongyu Qu.

Promoting the sustainable use of forests is also part of Sustainable Development Goal 15, a vision that countries have agreed to.

When used sustainably, forests support life. Another one recently published report An assessment of forest resources by the FAO found that net loss of forest area has been reduced by more than half since the 1990s and more than 90 percent of forests are recovering naturally.