Reaching net zero with timber

A growing forest, a negative trade balance

Swiss forests hold around 415 million cubic metres of timber (as of 2017), 60 million more than in 1985. According to Greminger, around one million cubic metres more could be harvested every year without ecological drawbacks. At the same time, the trade deficit in wood products doubled between 2000 and 2022 to around 4.4 billion Swiss francs, and an estimated 70 percent of timber building products are imported. The continued growth of the forest, especially in the mountains, also increases the risk of storm, drought and heat damage. Greminger calls for a diverse choice of tree species suited to each site.

Anyone who wants to build in a climate-neutral way has to use regional resources.

Incentives for timber construction

Timber construction is booming, and a Lignum study shows that timber apartment buildings are cost-competitive with solid construction. The timber industry, however, faces low prices, a lack of investment and fragmented forest ownership, with around 244,000 private and 3,500 public owners. Greminger calls for financial incentives, such as carbon compensation payments for projects that already meet the 2040 target value today. In public procurement, this value should be an award criterion, and timber suitable for construction should not be burned. An industry that processes hardwood is also needed, he argues.

How Timber Carbon sees it

Thomas Fedrizzi of Timber Finance took up this call for incentives in the same journal, as we summarise in Carbon removal credits for timber construction promote sawlog production. Timber Carbon, launched in 2026 as a spin-off of Timber Finance, quantifies, certifies and monetises the carbon removed in mass timber buildings as carbon removal credits on the voluntary carbon market. Our Build biobased page explains how developers can get started.