UPM donates 400,000 euros for study on forests and climate change
Research led by Prof. Markku Kulmala seeks to better understand the role of forests in climate change
UPM has donated 400,000 euros to the University of Helsinki to fund a study on the climate impact of commercial forests. Under the name Carbon Sinks+, this project seeks to investigate how forests influence different aspects of climate change, including their role as carbon sinks and stores. It is hoped that this research will provide a better understanding of aerosol particle formation, cloud generation, precipitation and the reflection of sunlight in space, all of which are fundamental to understanding climate change.
Professor of Aerosols and Environmental Physics at the University of Helsinki, Markku Kulmala, leads this study, stresses “It is not yet known which forest or ecosystem has the greatest overall cooling effect on the atmosphere and by what mechanisms. Forests are known to act as carbon sinks, but the SMEAR (Station for Measuring Earth’s Surface-Atmosphere Relationships) study aims to find out what else commercial forests do for the climate.”
The Hyytiälä Forestry Station at the University of Helsinki will serve as the main measurement site, where more than 1,000 different variables will be recorded.
UPM is making this important donation to support world-class research at an international level and thus gain knowledge to improve its own operations. Sami Oksa, Director of Stakeholder Relations at UPM Forest and Timber, emphasizes the company’s commitment to sustainable forest management and its interest in better understanding the role of commercial forests in the fight against climate change. This grant is part of UPM’s Biofore Share and Care program, which focuses on projects relevant to the company’s strategy and responsibility objectives, with an emphasis on learning, community engagement and alternatives to fossil resources.