Forest-based industries, such as pulp, paper and fibre products, wood industries, furniture producers, the bioenergy sector and the printing industry presented to the European Commission on Monday 18 November their vision of European society in 2050 and the role they can play in achieving the objective of carbon neutrality.
To this end, the representatives present, including the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI), undertook to: – replace CO2-intensive raw materials and fossil fuels with alternative solutions from forests; – eliminate waste and stimulate recycling with a collection target of at least 90% and recycling of 70% for wood-based products; and – improve resource efficiency and productivity in all areas, including materials, manufacturing and logistics.
“There is no carbon neutrality without sustainable forest management”, CEPI Director General Jori Ringman told reporters.
For the successful implementation of the commitments made, he cited the need for recyclability protocols accepted at European level, new technological solutions that will radically change production processes, address a shortage of skilled labour or market distortions. “We need multitalented young resources”, which is why they work with the social partners, the trade unions, he said.
According to him, the sector is already a champion: “90% of the wood and paper pulp purchased meets the state of the art of certification systems”. It reduced its energy consumption by 60% in 2017 and has reduced its CO2 emissions per tonne produced by 48% since 1990 (-27% since 2005). It is “world champion in recycling” with a rate of 71.6% (and 84.6% for paper packaging), it recycles 91% of the water, waste heat and chemicals used, such as solvents. 66% of the energy used is renewable.
It created 2,000 new jobs (in Germany, Austria, Spain, Romania, the United Kingdom and Norway) in 2018 and 7 times that including indirect jobs. It provides the textile industry with wood-based solutions and works in partnership with the chemical and agri-food industry to help ensure compliance with EU legislation on the limitation of single-use plastics.
According to Mr Ringman, “the European Green Deal is an opportunity. CEPI expects from the EU Green Deal healthy forests or access to sustainable raw materials, growing markets for climate-friendly solutions, clean energy for decarbonised operations”.
CEPI states that sustainably managed forests in the EU now have a climate change mitigation capacity representing 13% of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)