Environmental groups and independent researchers are raising concerns that logging operations certified as “sustainable” in Canada are accelerating the loss of some of the country’s most effective natural carbon sinks. Large areas of mature and old-growth boreal forests are being clear-cut each year, releasing stored carbon and reducing the forests’ ability to absorb future greenhouse gas emissions. Canada is home to nearly 9% of the world’s forests and about 28% of the planet’s intact boreal forest, ecosystems that store billions of tonnes of carbon in both trees and deep peat-rich soils. Scientists warn that while harvested forests can eventually regrow, it can take decades or even centuries for them to recover the carbon storage capacity of the original forest.
The debate has intensified as Canada seeks to meet its climate commitments while remaining one of the world’s largest exporters of forest products. Conservationists argue that current certification systems often classify large-scale clear-cutting as sustainable if regeneration plans are in place, despite evidence that biodiversity, wildlife habitat, and long-term carbon storage are significantly affected. Researchers say protecting older forests alongside improved forest management could deliver far greater climate benefits than relying solely on replanting. The issue highlights the growing challenge of balancing economic dependence on the forestry sector with the urgent need to preserve forests that play a critical role in regulating the global climate. More