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The Regional FSC Forest Stewardship Standard (RFSS) for Smallholders in Vietnam has now been approved by FSC. This standard is for use by smallholders who own or manage individual units of plantations that are smaller than 20 hectares in size in Vietnam. The standard applies to rough wood and non-timber forest products (NTFPs). The RFSS for Vietnam is an adaptation of the approved RFSS for Asia Pacific for Smallholders in India, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia. The national adaptation for Vietnam has been developed and it is now published to pilot test the indicators developed for specific local circumstances. For more details on the scope, please refer to sections C and E of the standard.
2020 is shaping up to be a pivotal year for FSC – in the United States, and around the world. The pace of climate change aggravated events is increasing, with the huge and unprecedented fires in Australia only the latest catastrophe to capture the public eye. While such disasters are always tragic, they also educate people about the critical role of forests and the importance of responsible forest management. The climate crisis is generating ever-greater interest in FSC as a climate solution, which has prompted our newly ramped-up efforts to measure and communicate the impacts of FSC - including the commission of studies to quantify carbon storage additionality in FSC-certified forests. As we think about FSC’s impact, perhaps nothing matters more than our standard, which translates directly to environmental and social improvements on the ground wherever it is applied.
UPM's commitment to wind power in Finland will significantly decrease emissions resulting from UPM’s paper production. The new wind park in Pyhäjoki is expected to reach full capacity in generating climate-friendly power in early 2023, providing a long-term renewable energy solution for UPM’s Finnish paper mills. In 2019, UPM signed a Wind Power Purchase agreement (PPA) with German renewable energy development company wpd. This contract enabled the construction of a new onshore wind park in Pyhäjoki, Finland, which is now in its final stages of development; the park is starting operations in the autumn 2022. It will reach full capacity in generating sustainable power in January 2023 and will continue to do so for 25-30 years.