1 Harvested Wood Products- an Incentive for Deforestation?

Mitigation priorities in the forest sector should observe following sequence: REDD2, sink enhancement, substitution of fossil fuel, and HWP3. If accounting for HWP is not done properly, the risk for an incentive for deforestation is real. To curb the disadvantages of HWP, some debiting of non-sustainable forest management as currently achieved through Article 3.4 of the Kyoto Protocol appears a necessity. Until effective REDD activities are implemented that provide true disincentives to deforestation, HWP may continue to create some risk of furthering deforestations in developing countries that are not constrained by the Kyoto Protocol. On the other hand, if HWP accounting is done properly as part of a LULUCF4 scheme that minimizes risks of promoting deforestation and non-sustainable harvesting, HWP is to be welcomed as a means to help promoting the utilization of the climate-friendly, renewable natural resource wood. This would help mitigating climate change and in progressing towards a more sustainable society