Keep carbon stored.
Responsibly sourced wood can keep carbon stored for decades in long-lived buildings. Designing for durability and reusing timber can extend that storage.
FORESTS. CLIMATE. PEOPLE.
Better buildings.
Thriving forests.
A better future can be built with wood.
Let’s make sure it starts with thriving forests.
Building for Forests connects action across forestry, construction, housing and finance to accelerate the responsible use of sustainable wood.
From sustainable forest management
to a lower-carbon built environment.
TWO CONNECTED CLIMATE BENEFITS
Store carbon in buildings.
Keep forests growing.
Support continued carbon uptake.
Growing trees absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere. Responsible forest management, regeneration and replanting support continued uptake while protecting forests’ long-term health.
Responsible sourcing, forest protection and thoughtful building design connect the two.
Regrowth takes time: replanting does not immediately replace harvested carbon. Climate benefits depend on forest conditions, responsible sourcing and the building’s full life cycle. Using wood in place of more emissions-intensive materials can also help reduce emissions.
Supporting coordination
and delivery.
WHY BUILDING FOR FORESTS
The places we live.
The forests we depend on.
One connected future.
How we build matters far beyond the building itself. Responsibly sourced wood can help reduce reliance on high-emission materials while supporting sustainable forest management and local livelihoods.
Realising that potential takes more than a change of material. It takes credible sourcing, efficient design, supportive policy and investment across the whole value chain.
How we workOUR APPROACH
Four shifts.
A shared direction.
Changing the way we think, design, invest and govern—to make responsible timber construction possible at scale.
01Change the conversation
PARADIGM SHIFT
Build understanding of wood’s climate and social potential, strengthen professional skills and create demand for responsibly sourced materials.
02Advance better building
TECHNOLOGICAL SHIFT
Support innovation, technical education and circular design. Use wood more efficiently, reduce waste and make better use of underutilised wood streams.
03Unlock investment
FINANCE SHIFT
Connect sustainable forestry and timber construction with finance that can support responsible supply chains, small enterprises and adequate, affordable housing.
04Create enabling policy
POLICY SHIFT
Align building codes, procurement and climate strategies with responsible material use. Turn shared principles into practical conditions for delivery.
RESPONSIBILITY AT EVERY STEP
It begins
with the forest.
More wood in construction must go hand in hand with responsible forest management, traceability, biodiversity and respect for people’s rights.
These principles belong at the heart of every building decision—from sourcing and design to reuse.
Explore responsible timber constructionFROM AMBITION TO ACTION
A shared ambition for 2028.
The acceleration plan sets out indicative targets across policy, finance and skills. They provide a direction for collective action.
30countries
Enabling responsible construction
Adopt or strengthen policies, building codes or procurement frameworks for sustainable wood.
5finance mechanisms
Opening pathways to investment
Develop effective, scalable financing mechanisms for sustainable wood buildings and their value chains.
1,000professionals a year
Building knowledge and capacity
Train professionals in timber construction, carbon accounting and circular design.
Indicative targets from the 2025–2028 acceleration plan. These figures describe the plan’s ambitions; verified progress will be reported separately.
EXPLORE THE FOUNDATIONS
Ideas into practice.
Read the Building for Forests plans and explore the initiatives connecting sustainable forests with responsible construction.
COP30 · ACTION PLAN
Building for Forests COP30 Action Plan
The action plan for accelerating wood-based construction for climate, forests and livelihoods.
COP31 · DRAFT FOR DISCUSSION
Building for Forests COP31 Implementation Proposition
A proposed pathway to demonstrate progress and accelerate delivery through 2030.
September 2026 discussion draft. Institutional participation and support remain subject to relevant approvals.
CONNECT WITH US
Coordination team
Building for Forests was co-developed by Sustainable Wood for a Sustainable World (SW4SW), the Forest & Climate Leaders’ Partnership and Built by Nature.
PEFC International contributes through coordination, partner engagement and expertise in responsible forest management and traceable wood supply chains.
Harry Mills
Built by Nature
[email protected]Thaís Linhares-Juvenal
SW4SW Secretariat at FAO
[email protected]Thorsten Arndt
PEFC International
[email protected]Peter Graham
FCLP Secretariat
[email protected]BUILDING CHANGE, TOGETHER
There’s a part
for you to play.
From governments and cities to businesses, financial institutions, researchers and civil society: lasting change needs connected action.
Share an example of progress, a barrier to implementation or an idea for working together.
Contact the coordination team