Wood extraction and utilisation in Norway 2012–2022: a national material and carbon flow analysis

This study addresses the lack of an integrated description of wood used in Norway by developing a material flow analysis (MFA) model that integrates data on the wood sector's value chain. The model accounts for carbon flows by moving beyond volume-based metrics and incorporating species type and moisture content to estimate carbon content. Findings reveal that approximately 15 million m3 of standing forest is harvested in Norway annually. The input to the use phase (products originated from sawmills and wood-based panel mills (board mills)) is approximately 5 Mm3, and the returning reclaimed wood is equivalent to 1.6 Mm3 to the end-of-life (EOL) annually. 85–88% of the EOL today is burned for energy recovery, which can be reduced by better practices. The study identifies opportunities to improve EOL practices and enhance circularity. The Sankey diagram visualises the flow and stock of wood in the value chain from forests to sawmills, wood products processing, pulp mills, board mills, energy, and waste.