From the perspective of minimising carbon emissions, wood should be used in such a way that the carbon it contains is stored for as long as possible. This can be the case when building furniture or houses that are used for a long time. In paper, the wood is processed quickly and finally burnt, similar to the use in a biomass power plant, where the carbon is released back into the atmosphere quite quickly.

Source:

Federal Environment Agency (2021): Sustainable forests and sustainable wood utilisation

https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/zukunftsfaehiger-wald-nachhaltige-holznutzung (last accessed on 08.05.23)

Federal Environment Agency (ed.)(2021): Environmental protection, forests and sustainable wood use in Germany at: https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/sites/default/files/medien/5750/publikationen/2021_hgp_umweltschutzwald_u_nachhaltigeholznutzung_bf.pdf (last accessed on 08.05.23)

Further information:

https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/klima-energie/erneuerbare-energien/erneuerbare-energien-in-zahlen