Forests at the heart of decarbonization
Forests play a central role in regulating the planet's climate. They are one of the main natural mechanisms for sequestering carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the atmosphere, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. Through photosynthesis, trees and other plants capture CO₂ and transform it into oxygen and biomass, such as trunks, leaves, and roots. The carbon remains stored for decades or centuries in trees, soil, and vegetation.
According to data from the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) "Global Forest Resources Assessment 2020" (FRA 2020) report, the world's forests store approximately 662 billion tons of carbon (Gt – gigatonnes). Per hectare, this corresponds to an average of 163 tons, distributed between soil organic matter (45%), above-ground living biomass and roots (approximately 44%), and dead forest cover, consisting of branches and leaves that fall from trees (approximately 10%).
Forest loss jeopardizes this balance in the carbon cycle. According to FRA 2020, between 1990 and 2020, global forest area lost approximately 178 million hectares, resulting in a 6.3 billion-ton decline in global forest carbon stocks . The main causes of this decline were deforestation and ecosystem degradation, coupled with agricultural and urban expansion.
But it's not all bad news, especially for Europe. Between 2005 and 2020, European forests grew by nearly six million hectares—an area larger than Switzerland, equivalent to about 1,500 football pitches a day.
The same is true in Portugal, with official estimates indicating that the national forest area grew from approximately 640,000 hectares in 1874 to over three million hectares today (data from the National Forest Inventory – IFN6, from the ICNF). At the beginning of the 20th century, forests occupied less than 18% of the country's territory, having since grown to approximately 36%.
This growth didn't happen by chance. Much of the new forested area in Europe, and specifically in Portugal, resulted from plantations created for various purposes—in our country, natural forests are virtually extinct, representing less than 1% of the total forested area.
Distinguishing between the different types of forests is essential for a serious and effective approach to decarbonization.
The FAO classifies them into two main groups: naturally regenerating forests, composed predominantly of trees that grew spontaneously, without direct human intervention. And planted forests, which are established primarily by human action, through planting or deliberate seeding. The latter are divided into "plantation forests," intended for the production of timber or other forest products, and "other planted forests," artificially established but which, at maturity, have a structure similar to that of natural forests.
At a time when Europe needs to sequester 310 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (Mt – megatons) per year by 2030 to achieve its carbon neutrality goals, it is crucial to look at all forests, including production forests – the often forgotten piece of the climate puzzle.
CO₂ equivalent is a way of measuring the impact of all greenhouse gases as if they were carbon dioxide, for easier comparison. This way, even if a gas is different, its effect on global warming is converted to the CO₂ equivalent.
In Portugal, the forest's contribution has been positive, except in years of major fires. It is estimated that, between 1990 and 2021, it was responsible for an average annual sequestration of 5.58 Mt of CO2 equivalent. In 2023, the gross value removed from the atmosphere totaled approximately 1.44 Mt. A significant portion of this contribution comes from well-managed production forests. Because carbon sequestration does not depend on the "naturalness" of the forest, but rather on its health, density, and growth dynamics—a young, actively growing forest, such as eucalyptus or maritime pine plantations, for example, can sequester as much or more carbon than a mature and/or degraded forest.
In an unmanaged forest, the undergrowth becomes fuel, trails disappear, biodiversity declines, and fire risk skyrockets. Conversely, a sustainably managed forest—even a production forest—is a forest that is monitored, intervened in, diversified, and protected.
Good forest management drastically reduces the risk of major fires, improves species' resilience to climate change, promotes soil nutrient cycling, and fosters landscape mosaics, benefiting wildlife, flora, and human communities.
Companies like The Navigator Company, the largest private forestry producer in Portugal, which manages approximately 109,000 hectares, apply forest management models certified by international systems, which reconcile the objectives of producing wood and non-wood products with fire prevention plans, fuel management zones, surveillance teams, and protection or conservation zones.
The decarbonization of the Portuguese (and European) economy requires a better forest – a forest that is not abandoned, well-managed, where production is done to protect and protection is done to produce.
Eucalyptus globulus (scientific name: Eucalyptus globulus ) is a species naturalized in Portugal, with short harvesting cycles (between 10 and 12 years) and high carbon sequestration efficiency. It is estimated that, over the same period, a hectare of actively and sustainably managed eucalyptus forest can sequester up to seven times more carbon than a cork oak forest and three times more than a maritime pine forest. In addition to this advantage, eucalyptus plantations are also managed by the industry to better respond to climate challenges. Genetic improvement, for example, has allowed the selection and development of plants more resistant to drought, pests, and diseases. The Navigator Company was a pioneer in this field, having developed the first Eucalyptus globulus clones worldwide.
The climate value of production forests goes beyond carbon sequestration during tree growth. It also lies in the so-called "substitution effect" of wood-based products—the ability of products derived from forest biomass to replace others of fossil origin (e.g., packaging plastics), contributing to the transition from a linear economy based on finite resources to a circular bioeconomy based on renewable resources.
Forest biomass can be used in countless sectors—from construction to the textile industry, from food to cosmetics, including healthcare, fuels, and packaging. This replacement of fossil-based materials with forest bioproducts is one of the most promising ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Forest biomass is all organic matter originating from forested areas (roots, bark, leaves, branches, and stems, for example). It consists primarily of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin.
Cellulose – Bioproducts originating from cellulose can be applied in various areas, such as replacing petrochemical-based plastics or in healthcare.
Hemicellulose – Complex carbohydrates that serve as food for microorganisms, such as fermenting bacteria. These microorganisms produce, for example, bioethanol. Hemicellulose can also be used to produce bioplastics.
Lignin – This is the binding agent for cellulose fibers and hemicelluloses. Once isolated, it is used to produce polyols that can be used, for example, in the manufacture of construction foams, replacing those of petrochemical origin. Lignin can also be used to produce adhesives for use on particleboards, such as MDF boards, or cement additives.
Portugal is well-positioned in this field of forest-based bioeconomy, not only due to its natural soil and climate conditions, but also due to the maturity of its forestry sector and its investment in innovation.
The Navigator Company is committed to leading this transition. For over seven decades, the company has been researching eucalyptus globulus in Brazil, accumulating technical and scientific knowledge about its behavior, productivity, and sustainable management. In recent years, with RAIZ – Instituto de Investigação da Floresta e Papel (Forest and Paper Research Institute), its R&D center, it has been developing advanced bioproducts from this species' fiber, from molded cellulose products that replace single-use plastics to biofuels essential for decarbonizing sectors such as aviation and maritime transportation.
A strategy adopted in its 2030 Agenda, whose vision and implementation earned the company recognition from Sustainalytics as one of the “2025 ESG Industry Top-Rated Companies”, positioning it among the best companies in the world in terms of sustainability.
At a time when we need to do more with less – more sequestered carbon, more renewable resources, more protected territory – production forests play a central role.
It's not about choosing between conservation and development. It's about building a multifunctional forestry model capable of combining profitability, biodiversity, innovation, and climate. A model in which eucalyptus, in particular, is not the villain, but rather a tool—among others—in the service of sustainability.
Portugal has the right ingredients. What's missing is alignment on policies, investment, and public narrative. Valuing all forests—natural and planted, public and private, conservation and production—is the first step toward ensuring the country is on the right side of climate history.
It's up to all of us to care for the forest intelligently and responsibly. Because there can be no decarbonization without trees and those who plant, care for, and value them.
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