Forest Stewardship Council General Assembly Tackles Global Challenges

With growing momentum and urgency behind calls for forest conservation, the diverse membership of the Forest Stewardship Council meets this week in its General Assembly.

Founded in 1994 by forward-thinking NGOs and companies, the Forest Stewardship Council uses markets to stop deforestation and forest degradation. Today it is the world’s most trusted forest certification system, safeguarding nearly 500 million acres of forestland, with 32,000 companies in 120 countries marketing FSC-certified products.

“We are seeing companies step up to help protect forests, even as we all use forest products every day,” said Corey Brinkema, president of the Forest Stewardship Council US. “This momentum comes not a moment too soon, as climate change puts the need for forest conservation front and center,” he added.

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, all transportation accounts for 14 percent of global carbon emissions, while experts estimate deforestation and forest degradation to contribute up to 15 percent. Healthy forests currently offer the best way to pull carbon out of the atmosphere. Recent research in the US Pacific Northwest finds FSC-certified forest management stores at least 45 percent more carbon than standard forestry.

In the past year, companies such as Apple, HP, International Paper, Kimberly-Clark, McDonald’s, Patagonia, Procter & Gamble, Target, Staples, Walmart and Williams-Sonoma have taken steps to grow demand for products from responsibly managed forests. Many of these businesses use FSC in their consumer marketing, creating a virtuous cycle driving forest conservation.

While FSC is experiencing dramatic growth in certified pulp and paper products, there remains a great opportunity to further develop markets for solid wood products – including building materials and furniture. This is a top priority for FSC US.

The FSC General Assembly is being held in North America for the first time since its inaugural gathering in 1994. FSC is the only forest certification system led by an open, diverse membership, with the General Assembly its top decision-making body. Members include Greenpeace, Sierra Club, The Home Depot, The Nature Conservancy, The Walt Disney Company, and WWF.
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/forest-stewardship-council-general-assembly-tackles-global-challenges-300531286.html

Related Posts

HP Recognized as World Leader for Corporate Action on Ending Deforestation

HP has been identified as a global leader for the actions and strategies it is taking to manage its use of timber products more sustainably by CDP, which named HP one of only eight companies to earn a position on the inaugural CDP “Forest A List” for its deforestation management efforts. HP is the only information technology (IT) company to make this year’s Forest A List. “We are proud to be recognized by CDP for our ongoing efforts to responsibly and sustainably manage our paper-based products and packaging,” said Nate Hurst, Chief Sustainability & Social Impact Officer. “This recognition reflects our commitment to combatting climate change and deforestation by operating a more sustainable business throughout our value chain.”

Sun Chemical Issues New Sustainability Report

The latest sustainability report shows Sun Chemical’s progress toward its goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2030, with 2013 as a baseline, and becoming net carbon neutral by 2050. Sun Chemical approaches its three business pillars of operations, products and services, and collaborations using the ‘five Rs’ framework – Reuse, Reduce, Renew, Recycle, and Redesign – to guide its sustainable initiatives and products in an effort to achieve a circular economy. “As the industry’s spotlight on sustainability grows brighter, brand owners and converters need supplier partners who can help them adhere to regulations and meet their goals,” said Michael Simoni, Director, Global Sustainability, Sun Chemical. “We are proud to announce that Sun Chemical is 86 percent of the way to meeting its own 2030 target to cut carbon emissions in half. Our ‘five Rs’ framework has focused our strategic efforts on reducing waste and improving efficiency, recyclability, and compostability while maintaining the highest standards of performance to best serve our customers.”

Experts talk recycled paper realities and forecasts (resource-recycling.com)

MRF operators, brokers and others recently discussed why fiber is still “the elephant in the room” in municipal recycling conversations. During a recovered fiber session at the 2019 Resource Recycling Conference and Trade Show in New Orleans, stakeholders from throughout the paper recycling sector discussed where the market is and where it’s headed. Fiber is the “elephant in the room” as far as the value of the residential mix that municipalities receive, said Dave Claugus, vice president of Pacific Northwest MRF operator Pioneer Recycling Services. Paper is the “main event” at a MRF, said Claugus. In the Pacific Northwest, paper makes up 75% of the material that comes onto the tip floor Monday through Friday. “That means that paper moves the price of whatever the processor can pay or needs to charge the municipality,” Claugus said. For example, if paper moves by $10 per ton, it is going to influence the combined value of recyclables by $7.50 per ton. If PET moves by $10 per ton, on the other hand, that would influence the combined value of the recycling stream by just 25 cents per ton due to its smaller volume in the stream.
Back To Top
×Close search
Search