Environmental Paper Network (EPN)

Climate Impact & Sustainability Data (2000-2011)

Renewable Energy Share:63% of total energy consumed in 2008 (from wood fuel and black liquor)

Waste Generated:26 million tons in 2009 (down from 42 million tons in 2005)

Decreased fossil fuel greenhouse gas emissions for pulp and paper manufacturing in the US and Canada by approximately 33% from 2000 to 2008.
Increased proportion of energy from wood fuel and black liquor in pulp and paper manufacturing from 56% to 63% between 2002 and 2008.
Significant growth in the area of land certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) in North America, doubling between January 2007 and January 2011.

Millions of acres of endangered forests in paper industry sourcing areas received new legal protections by the Canadian government since 2007.
Several new collaboration agreements between the forest and paper industry and environmental NGOs laid the foundation for unprecedented conservation achievements, such as the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement.

At least 645 large paper purchasers, including 24 Fortune 500 companies, had paper procurement policies or environmental commitments that included protecting High Conservation Value Forests or Endangered Forests, maximizing recycled content, preferring FSC-certified wood fiber, incorporating agricultural residues, or eliminating controversial fiber sources.

Long-term Goals:

Optimizing the paper recycling system for growth in domestic manufacturing of recycled pulp.
Increasing capital investment in energy efficiency and recycled paper production.

Medium-term Goals:

Short-term Goals:

Reducing paper consumption in North America by ending wasteful practices and inefficiency.
Increasing the utilization of recycled fiber in printing and writing papers.

Conversion of diverse, natural forests to plantations, logging of old-growth temperate rainforests, and harvesting of intact carbon-rich Boreal Forest remained threats to forests and their biodiversity and carbon-storage capacity.
Ongoing challenges from major companies continuing business-as-usual practices.
Pulp and paper from controversial sources still entering North American markets, driving deforestation, biodiversity loss, social conflict, and climate pollution.
Inaccurate measurement of greenhouse gas emissions from biomass incineration and failure to include carbon stock loss from timber harvesting.
Essentially no improvement in average paper industry water pollution between 2000 and 2008.
Slow pace of reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions per ton of product since 2000.

Marketplace-driven campaigns led to government action securing legal protections for millions of acres of forests in Canada.
Major agreements reached between NGOs and the paper industry for increased forest protection in North America.
Rapid growth in market demand for FSC-certified products.
Increasing innovation and investment in agricultural residue papers.
Strong demand for recycled content paper and continuing growth in waste paper recovery.