Forest Industry Leaders Address Climate Change and Sustainability in Shanghai

Shanghai, China, June 7, 2007

Today the 3rd CEO Roundtable of the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) took place in Shanghai, China. More than 70 CEO’s and association leaders attended the meeting to address issues of common interest including sustainability, climate change and energy.

On the occasion of the G8 Summit in Berlin this week the industry representatives launched their first sustainability update and recognised the importance of tackling the issue of climate change.

The wood and paper sector affirmed the vital and constructive role that it plays in combating climate change and confirmed its intention to further reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. Industry leaders noted that the forest industry can contribute to mitigate climate change in a number of ways:

• Where communities can earn a living from the forest and sustain a livelihood, there is an incentive to keep, renew and expand the forest, thus avoiding deforestation and its negative impact on climate and biodiversity. This supports the industry’s commitment to sustainable management of forests, which are a renewable resource.     
• Forests and forest products provide excellent storage of carbon and wood has a preferable carbon footprint to alternative materials. Moreover, recycling of paper and wood reduces emissions from landfills.
• The industry is committed to innovative energy solutions that increase efficiency, reduce reliance on fossil fuels and expand the use of renewable energy sources.

According to the first ICFPA “Sustainability Progress Update” launched today, the industry has continuously improved its sustainability performance through a variety of initiatives. ICFPA members have invested in certification systems ensuring sustainable forest management standards are met. They also actively participated in initiatives to protect forests from illegal logging. Additionally, many ICFPA members have formally adopted paper recovery goals or signed on to broader multi-product recycling programmes to increase the amount of recovered paper available.

“The ICFPA is committed to providing sustainability updates on a biennial basis to keep stakeholders informed of the industry’s actions and performance as well as to motivate continual improvement among members.” says Teresa Presas, President of the ICFPA and Managing Director of CEPI, the Confederation of European Paper Industries.

Click here to read the ICFPA Sustainability Progress Update