Biofore-Magazine-2021

By Marko Janhunen Photography UPM

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FEATURE

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We take concrete action

WE ACT THROUGH EFFICIENCY AND EMISSIONS Minimising the use of fossil fuels is the most important way to mitigate climate change. Our ambitious goal is to reduce our CO 2 emissions from fuels and purchased electricity used at our production sites by 65% from the 2015 level by 2030, well ahead of the EU target. In addition to the mills, we will also cut emissions from the supply chain. Our energy portfolio consists mostly of energy sources that do not cause fossil CO 2 emissions. We use energy efficiently and increase the share of renewable and low emission energy.

WE ACT THROUGH FORESTS How we use land is critical to

WE ACT THROUGH PRODUCTS Our new products are innovations made from renewable raw materials to replace fossil-based products. Concrete examples of climate-positive products include wood-based renewable diesel and wood-based biochemicals. Plastics can also be made from renewable raw materials. We are working with the Finnish Environment Institute SYKE in Finland and the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research in Germany to verify the positive climate impacts of our products scientifically and comprehensively.

The EU must recognise the strengths of a forest based value chain UPM’s climate strategy is clear. To contribute towards significant positive climate impact by developing new sustainable products, reducing emissions and managing forests sustainably. T he Fit for 55 proposal is critically important for all EU industries, and its position on emissions reduc tion and zero-emission energy aremost welcome. It is especially important for the forest industry, since several of the Commission’s proposals have a bear

climate change mitigation. Trees and plants capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere when they grow. At the same time, carbon dioxide is stored in the soil. Thriving forests are an efficient way to mitigate climate change. That’s why we are committed to climate-positive forestry and enhancing biodiversity. We are also exploring new ways to use agricultural lands in a way that creates both climate benefits and new economic opportunities for farmers. We make sure that our forests remain carbon sinks. The annual carbon sink of UPM’s owned and leased forests is more than six million tonnes of CO 2 , which corresponds to the carbon footprint of more than half a million Finns. In Uruguay, together with landowners, we have created new carbon storage of 40 million tonnes of CO 2 through planted forests.

does not seemto be sufficiently recognised in the existing pro posals. The climate impact of forests is somehow seen as dis connected fromthe productionand consumptionvalue chain. The concepts of renewability and the increasing use of cir cular material in production and consumption can create sig nificant opportunities for effective climate changemitigation. Sustainably sourced renewable raw materials, energy and products are unique solutions that can replace fossil-based consumption. On the path to enabling the EU’s Green Growth UPM has been following these developments for a long time, and our timeline is more ambitious than the one the Com mission has outlined. UPM is committed to supporting the EU’s climate goals and theUN’s Business Ambition of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. In February 2021, UPM signed The Climate Pledge and is now one of 100 companies worldwide that have committed tomeeting the Paris Climate Agreement targets well ahead of schedule. UPMis also creatingmore forests thanwe use and practices climate-positive forestry, which focuses on increasing the bio mass in forests and aiding their growth through economically, ecologically and socially sustainable forest management. Consumers and markets are the best catalysts and it is critical to pay attention to them.

ing on the sector. To create climate neutrality pathways, UPM urges the EU to send a strong signal to replace fossils with renewable ma terials. And while legislators can and should steer the future direction, toomuch detail is not an incentive. Consumers and markets are the best catalysts and it is critical to pay attention to them. Regulation that is predictable facilitates green growth in vestments and further transformation beyond fossils, and ensures that companies can confidently firm up their in vestment plans for decades to come. Industry and regulators should now work together to support the EU’s Green Growth potential to the fullest. Are we boosting or restricting green growth? For businesses, climate change is a strategic issue. Every well-managed company anticipates its impact. However, companies require sufficient regulatory certainty to encour age much-needed green investments. The public sector can create the conditions for new markets, where companies compete, take risks and innovate. EU policies and the upcoming negotiations be tween theEuropeanParliament andmember states must prioritise the sustainable use of forests to en sure the availability of wood – a key resource for the circular bioeconomy and green growth. After all, slowing climate change requires a shift away from the fossil economy. However, sustain able forestry’s potential for driving this transition