[The Hwankyung Ilbo] Academic officials familiar with the forest sector point out that in order to respond to the demand for carbon neutral conversion, policies should be designed and supplemented with insufficient statistics considering life cycles.

On July 28, the main concern at the "Forest Science-based Carbon Neutral Online Seminar" co-hosted by the Korea Forest Science Association and the Korea Climate Change Chemical Association was forest carbon account and forest management to determine the contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Lee Kyung-hak, a professor at Kookmin University, expressed his wish that he had studied on calculating the net emission and absorption of greenhouse gases. Above all, he stressed the need for "completion of statistics." 

Professor Lee pointed out, "There are no greenhouse gas absorption statistics such as deciduous layers, dead trees, soil carbon, and wood products, although greenhouse gas statistics should be prepared first for forests, which are carbon storage."

In addition, it was suggested that "to increase the consistency and completeness of the absorption statistics according to soil types, a matrix is needed to analyze changes in land use."

Forest lands, agricultural lands, grasslands, and wetlands have different effects on forest growth, so they should be subdivided and managed.

Professor Lee called for the development and advancement of specific models of forest carbon accounts only when such basic data collection is supported.

Lee Woo-kyun, a professor at Korea University, talked about the "growth of forests and changes in greenhouse gas absorption." Supporting the need for detailed greenhouse gas statistics considering species and regions, he proposed a solution for forest management.

He also supported the academic argument that coniferous trees such as pine trees, oak trees, and deciduous pine trees are likely to slow down growth as the temperature rises. 

We need to accumulate data and develop a phenomenon-based policy: 

Considering Korea's climate conditions, coniferous trees are expected to slow down growth and increase subtropical aquatic species in the future. Professor Lee stressed, "We should prepare for the increase in the distribution of subtropical water species as the amount of coniferous trees increases."

Regarding the decrease in carbon absorption as Sujong grows older, he explained that the rate of reduction in absorption should be eased through active management rather than leaving it as it is.

To this end, there must be a policy alternative backed by theoretical interests, and the beginning of forest management is also here.

He advised, "It should be remembered that as age increases, the growth of radius (radius) decreases and the absorption of growth and greenhouse gas gradually decreases as age increases, but the absorption activity itself does not stop."

In addition, it is important to correlate the average growth rate (the amount of growth within a certain period divided by that period) with the annual growth rate (the amount of growth over a year) and to consider "forest growth science." 

The National Institute of Forest Science and the National Greenhouse Gas Information Center also participated in the event. There has been a consensus that a policy that considers the "good cycle" of forests should be created, and criticism has been raised that the policy should be beyond the limits that it has been implemented to distinguish forest from wood.

In particular, there were opinions to find a way to replace iron and cement, which emit huge amounts of greenhouse gases during production, in order to convert carbon neutrality.

In addition, they agreed that, "It is time for the improvements and alternatives raised to be publicly discussed not only by the industry but also by the people."

Starting with the seminar, discussions on the forest sector will be held three times on August 5 (theme: ecosystem service and forest carbon economy) and 19 (theme: carbon neutrality and forestry).