All Green Products Start with a #Greensource: Climate Neutrality with Europe’s Forest Fibre Industry

Cepi, the Confederation of European Paper Industries, and EPIS, the European Pulp Industry Sector Association, and its members present their #GreenSource initiative, a European-wide effort to explain how the forest-fiber industries make the 2050 climate neutrality target a reality.

The forest-fiber industry wishes to offer innovative solutions to the needs of the European citizens and contribute to a sustainable lifestyle while making sure that forests keep growing, absorbing CO2, and protecting biodiversity.

A recent scientific study commissioned by Cepi on the Climate effect of the forest-based sector in the European Union shows that thanks to the forests and forest-based products, we take 806 million tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere every year — this corresponds to 20% of the EU’s annual emissions — while bringing 3.5 million jobs, especially to rural areas.

“We can help decarbonize the economy and revolutionize consumption habits thanks to our innovative alternatives to fossil-based materials. According to a recent Material Economics[1] study, 25% of plastics could be easily replaced with paper and board already today without compromising end-product functionality.” Jori Ringman, Cepi DG.

We provide fossil-free alternative solutions for many sectors already today: media, packaging, health care, and hygiene but also and increasingly for textiles. Cellulose-based materials might even replace the graphite used in portable technologies and the virtually limitless possibilities in biorefineries help us champion bio-based green chemistry.

In times of COVID-19, it’s important to remember that we are delivering packaging, tissue, and hygiene products that are essential to EU citizens while being good for the planet and good for the European economy.

#GreenSource is the common voice of our industry rising to tell the world how we are making a difference in the transition to a sustainable and climate-friendly future.

To learn more, watch our introductory video here.

[1] https://materialeconomics.com/publications/sustainable-packaging

Cepi is the pan-European association representing the forest fiber and paper industry. Through its 18 national associations, CEPI gathers 495 companies operating more than 900 pulp and paper mills across Europe producing paper, cardboard, pulp, and other bio-based products. Cepi represents 22% of world production, EUR 82 billion of annual turnover to the European economy, and directly employs more than 177,000 people. From forest fiber technology to advance paper design the industry currently invests EUR 5.5 billion annually and is a leader of the low carbon circular bioeconomy transition. To learn more, visit www.cepi.org.

SOURCE: Cepi (Confederation of European Paper Industries)

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