Europe's wood sector as a driver for the green and digital transition of the built environment

On 7 November, the Wood Policy and Innovation Conference brought together over 150 policymakers, EC staff, industry leaders, researchers, and academics to discuss the transformative role of the wood sector in Europe’s sustainable future at the Representation of the Free State of Bavaria to the EU.

Under the theme “Europe’s Wood Sector as a Driver for the Green and Digital Transition of the Built Environment,” the event showcased wood’s potential in climate action, from carbon sequestration and material circularity to fostering innovation, job creation, and regional development.

Session A: Governance and Policy – Best Practices in Public Support

At 14:00 CET, Session A delved into how public policies can support the growth of wood-based construction. Hosted by the European Wood Policy platform (WoodPoP) and Bioregions Facility, the session showcased national initiatives such as the Czech Wood Policy Programme, Austrian Wood Initiative, and Swiss Wood Resource Policy. These programs highlighted how governments can promote sustainable wood use and support local development in urban and rural areas. Regional best practices from Galicia and North Rhine-Westphalia was presented, focusing on public procurement and funding programmes for sustainable buildings and social housing projects. The role of harmonised standards and how to foster collaboration both in and across countries when building with wood were also discussed.
The European Wood Policy platform also presented its recently endorsed policy paper entitled ‘A Wood-Based Circular Bioeconomy for a Sustainable Europe’, which identifies critical fields of action and the necessary structural short to long-term framework conditions, as well as suitable instruments and resources, for strengthening the wood-based circular bioeconomy in Europe.

Presentations & Reports

The presentations delivered during the conference are available below:

Acknowledgements

We thank the speakers, participants, and co-organisers (Wood4Bauhaus EFI Bioregions Facility Holzcluster Steiermark GmbH) for their contributions to this successful event, which reaffirmed wood’s critical role in building a clean, just, and competitive Europe.

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