Carbon Emission Flow and Transfer through International Trade of Forest Products

Abstract

Abstract The environmental impact of commodity trade has become a considerable concern in recent decades. In this study, carbon emissions embodied in forest products trade are examined through a multiregional input–output model. Compared with other industries, the forest products industry is clean with a small total emission and mean emission intensity. The paper sector is more substantial in total emission and dirtier in emission intensity than the wood sector. Most countries with extensive forest products trade have experienced declining consumption-based carbon emissions over 1995–2009, and all countries have become cleaner based on the emission intensity value. Carbon emissions embodied in international trade of forest products are about 25 percent of total emissions from production activities. Developing countries generally have much higher emission intensities than developed countries. Uncertainties in the carbon emission data have a larger impact than those in the intermediate and final consumption data. These findings are helpful for policymakers to understand the economic–environmental relations of forest products trade and to improve policy and agreement designs.