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A forest-based bioeconomy can = replace carbon- and resource-intensive materials with long-lived wood product= s and advanced bioproducts.
With the right regulation and investment,= a forest=E2=80=91based bioeconomy can support climate and nature goals, rura= l livelihoods, and low=E2=80=91carbon industries.
A new publication b= y the Science-Policy Programme (SciPol) of the International Union of Forest = Research Organizations (IUFRO) offers guidance to harness the full potential = of forests while safeguarding their ecological integrity globally.=C2=A0

(Vienna, 12 May 2026)=C2=A0Today=C2=A0IUFRO's SciPol Programme presents an=C2=A0Expanded Policy Brief on Advancing Forest-Based Bioecono= my Approaches at the 21st Session of the United Nations = Forum on Forests (UNFF21) in New York, USA. 34 authors from 13 countries have= contributed to this publication consolidating key scientific evidence, polic= y insights, and practical perspectives on how sustainable forest-based bioeco= nomy approaches can be advanced across different contexts worldwide. The Poli= cy Brief is launched at a side-event titled "Vienna Call for Action: The powe= r of forest-based bioeconomy", which is a follow-up to the Global Summit=C2= =A0Advancin= g Sustainable Forest-based Bioeconomy Approaches, held in Vienna, Aus= tria, in February 2026.

In recent years, the urgency of addressing= interconnected global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, = resource insecurity, and growing socio-economic inequalities has become incre= asingly evident. These pressures are further intensified by often inefficient= production and consumption patterns. Consequently, there is a need for trans= formation to balance economic development with environmental and biodiversity= goals and social well-being.

A forest-based bioeconomy offers a p= owerful pathway to address these challenges. It goes beyond wood products and= bioenergy, encompassing the full range of forest types, their goods and ecos= ystem services. Sustainably managed forests can provide renewable materials, = bioenergy, and other ecosystem services while supporting livelihoods, strengt= hening rural economies, and contributing to climate change mitigation and ada= ptation.

These opportunities are already visible in practice acros= s different regions. From mass timber buildings in cities like Singapore and = Amsterdam to national programmes supporting timber construction in Europe,=C2= =A0the use of wood supported by strong sustainability safeguards is increasin= g as a low-carbon alternative in the built environment. At the same time, val= ue chains based on non-wood forest products, such as baobab in Africa or a=C3= =A7a=C3=AD in the Amazon, show how forests can generate income and innovation= , while also requiring strong sustainability safeguards. These examples highl= ight that successful forest-based bioeconomy pathways depend on context-speci= fic solutions, strong governance, and inclusive value chains.

As I= UFRO President Professor Daniela Kleinschmit notes, "When groun= ded in principles of sustainability, equity, and resilience, forest-based bio= economy strategies can play a central role in advancing circular economies an= d delivering on multiple global commitments, including the Sustainable Develo= pment Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement, and the Global Biodiversity Framewor= k among others."=C2=A0

Global demand for wood and bio-based materi= als is expected to continue rising, driven by population growth, urbanization= and the transition away from fossil-based resources. Overall material use ha= s more than tripled over the past 50 years and could increase by a further 60= % by 2060.=C2=A0Biomass currently supplies roughly a quarter of global materi= al needs.=C2=A0Meeting this demand sustainably will require a combination of = strategies, including improved productivity in both natural and planted fores= ts, more efficient manufacturing and higher value use of wood resources, alon= gside strong governance frameworks to ensure sustainability.

Dr= . Nelson Grima, Coordinator of=C2=A0IUFRO's SciP= ol Programme and co-editor of the publication explains, "This new Pol= icy Brief is intended to inform policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders= engaged in the forest sector and the broader bioeconomy transformation. It s= ynthesizes scientific evidence and practical experience to identify actionabl= e policy options that accelerate a sustainable, inclusive, just, and circular= forest-based bioeconomy."=C2=A0

Download:=C2=A0<= a href=3D"http://url8074.news.iufro.org/ls/click?upn=3Du001.C6oMVBOd8j-2B22go= -2BVoSNM5UQVwgza4aw1L4-2BeQSGhz1c3L-2FbxurcY2BD9GmB05ZrTpcmHcVPH-2F-2BzqYOnFO= gPOryludjBqphaQPm-2FCOD16hYYsA6DwrabNlxqNW2lJTMwyKMQ9SbEPhxBYqBNbP-2F4HSDAWPB= ixr-2BJGvML5u8L1gs-3D38ka_KTZDYTbL7XExJRmoNw-2Bx-2F-2F-2Bm8uvffgP-2BeRDDaHUNd= MfYIQxKuyvzq4udldvqgQ6UhV6wN89iYbibCfMXZhsX9NregHcBUnDJMFI9gnOTo8g1SPENf2bwhy= BYC6KvYV-2FnXA0isYsiW1A6wbO7zOB8Zb34GWeCjJAj6dX-2Fi5CapcPQTyMF1jgQNQJdUqm2zdx= dnjL3HLwD16VsweS7jEZMEQ-3D-3D>Expanded Policy Brief

Editors: Ivana =C5=BDivojinovi=C4=87, Nelson Grima, Maja= Radosavljevi=C4=87=C2=A0

Lead Authors: (in alphabetical or= der) Eric Hansen; Tim Payn; Lucia Pittaluga; Ricardo Vargas Carpintero; Ivana= =C5=BDivojinovi=C4=87=C2=A0

Contributing Authors (in alpha= betical order) Maria Luiza Almeida Luz; Siebe Briers; Lyndall Bull; Jimmy Cha= mberlain; Damiano Cilio; Jana=C3=ADna D.A.S. Diniz; Dietrich Darr; Peter Edwa= rds; Herrick Fox; Martin Greimel; Nelson Grima; Stojan Ivanovi=C4=87; Felix K= anungwe Kalaba; Anu Laakkonen; Stefanie Linser; Nata=C5=A1a Lovri=C4=87; Robe= rt Mavsar; Kathrin Meinhold; Rajat Panwar; Mi Sun Park; Helga P=C3=BClzl; Maj= a Radosavljevi=C4=87; Radek Rinn; J=C3=B6rg Schweinle; Carsten Smith-Hall; Da= niel Moura da Costa Teixeira; Diana Tomasjukka; Anne Toppinen; Richard Yao
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Media contact: Gerda Wolfrum, wolfrum(at)iufro.org, +43-664-142-6852
About the Science-Policy Programme (SciPol) of IUFRO:

The Science-Policy Programme (SciPol) of IUFRO provides a mecha= nism for effectively mobilizing scientific expertise and information to equip= governments and intergovernmental processes with solid knowledge for making = decisions that affect forests, trees, and land use regionally and globally.= =C2=A0

Visit:=C2=A0IUFRO: Scie= nce-Policy Programme / Science in IUFRO

About the = International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO):
<= br />The International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) is a no= n-profit and non-governmental worldwide network of 15,000 forest scientists a= cross 120 countries, who work together to enhance the understanding of the ec= ological, economic and social aspects of forests and trees. Founded in 1892, = IUFRO is headquartered in Vienna, Austria.=C2=A0

Visit:=C2=A0= IUFRO - Home

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