Redesigning the Future with Renewable Packaging

European institutions have agreed on the Renewable Energy Directive REDII for the 2020s after the European Council adopted the agreement made earlier this summer. UPM welcomes the agreement that will increase the use of renewable energy to 32% in 2030 and requires 14% bioenergy to be used in transport. All the EU member states are obliged to implement a binding advanced biofuel blending mandate starting 2022. UPM Biofuels is one of the front-runners in the advanced biofuels industry. The UPM Lappeenranta Biorefinery, the world's first to produce wood-based renewable diesel and naphtha on a commercial scale, has proven the potential as a significant producer of truly sustainable advanced biofuels. UPM BioVerno, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions by over 80% compared with fossil fuels, has found a solid marketplace. Click read more below for additional detail.

CertforChile and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®), our National members in Chile and North America, have both successfully achieved the re-endorsement of their national forest certification systems. This endorsement not only confirms that they continue to meet our globally recognized Sustainability Benchmarks, but also ensures that certified forest owners and companies in these countries continue to benefit from the global acceptance of PEFC. The first endorsement of the Chilean system back in 2004 was particularly significant as, alongside Australia, it became the first non-European country to be recognized by PEFC. Since then, almost two million hectares of forest have been certified in the country. The SFI program became a PEFC National member in 2001, with the SFI Forest Management Standard achieving PEFC endorsement for the first time in 2005. The SFI program has now grown to cover more than 100 million hectares of forest area in both the United States and Canada – nearly 40% of all PEFC-recognized certified forest worldwide.

Amcor Chief Executive Officer Ron Delia signed the New Plastics Economy Global Commitment on behalf of the company’s 33,000 people. The commitment, which is sponsored by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme, was announced today at the Our Ocean Conference in Bali, Indonesia. Amcor is a core partner of the EMF’s New Plastics Economy initiative. “Plastic packaging is vital for products used by billions of consumers around the globe,” said Amcor’s Mr. Delia. “It’s highly effective and easy to adapt, so that those products are safe, nutritious and effective. “We’re constantly innovating to make plastic packaging even better, including in protecting the environment.” For example, last month Amcor announced a breakthrough, flexible-plastic film that provides high-barrier protection, can be used in sterilized packaging and is recyclable. Click read more below for additional detail.