Paper has one of the lowest carbon footprints

Wood is the world’s most renewable raw material. For this reason, forests and the wood, they provide are vital in the fight against climate change. As the effects of global warming impact on our environment, the use of renewable and sustainable building materials has never been so important. Wood, however, has absorbed a net 1.7 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere, over and above the energy expended in growing, harvesting and processing.

Forestry is a major employer in regional New Zealand and contributes around $6.4 billion a year to our economy in export earnings. A flourishing forestry sector will be uniquely positioned to deliver sustainable, future-proofed jobs while helping New Zealand transition to a low-emissions economy through carbon sequestration and the development of a new bio-economy. the forested area is expected to increase during the next two years and MPI anticipates the yearly export value.

In 2018, New Zealand launched the One Billion Trees programme, with the goal of seeing a billion trees planted over the next decade. At the heart of the programme is the recognition that to guarantee a successful future for forestry, we need to get the right tree, in the right place and for the right purpose.

New Zealand plantation forest industry, 2018

New Zealand’s total emissions are low compared with our major trading partners and are approximately 0.15 per cent of total world emissions

New Zealand is committed to playing its part in a global response to climate change. New Zealand has a broad range of measures to address climate change, on both a domestic and an international level, and focuses efforts where it can make the greatest contribution.

TMFE New Zealand, 2015

The environmental impact of our personal paper consumption may not be as high as you think either. In Europe, we each use an average of 125kg of paper every year. This amount of paper produces 84kg of CO2 which is equal to driving about 500 miles in the average European car. By buying the paper from sustainably managed forests and always recycling, we really do not have to feel guilty about using this natural and renewable product

The direct CO2 emissions of the European pulp and paper industry reduced by 25% between 2005 and 2017

CEPI, Key Statistics, 2017

The paper, paper products and printing sector is one of the lowest industrial greenhouse gas emitters. Manufacturing industries account for 24% of all EU greenhouse gas emissions:

• Non-metallic mineral products 5.6%
• Basic metals 4.8%
• Chemicals and chemical products 4.3%
• Coke and refined petroleum 4.0%
• Food, beverages and tobacco 1.7%
• Paper and paper products 0.9%
• Printing and recorded media 0.1%
• Other manufacturing 2.3%

Based on Eurostat data, 2016.