Revised PEFC Sustainable Forest Management benchmark standard approved

Many brands and retailers could reduce the climate impact of their packaging up to 50 percent and avoid thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted to air. The results is based on a large number of life cycle assessments performed by BillerudKorsnäs in a new tool that evaluates the environmental impact of different packaging solutions. The digital tool has received a warm welcome by customers and brand owners in their pursuit of reducing carbon emissions. Global demand for packaging is rising with sustainability as a strong driver, which means future packaging will need to be designed so that it does not impact our climate. The recently introduced digital tool contains an extensive database on different packaging materials, including data from BillerudKorsnäs’ own production. By selecting a number of parameters related to the packaging, such as material, size, production location, transport, and disposal method, it will show the total life cycle impact for carbon dioxide emissions and water consumption. At BillerudKorsnäs, the tool is mainly used to improve supply chain efficiency and environmental performance for customers with production in Asia. Customers can then use the information in their environmental communication and sustainability reporting.

During over two decades of representing FSC in the country, FSC Russia achieved immense success in increasing FSC certification, promoting responsible forest management and creating a platform for dialogue among actors with interests in Russia’s immense forests. The FSC Russia Board has informed FSC International that the decision to end the contractual relationship is a precautionary measure which will be revisited depending on how the operational environment evolves in Russia. FSC International knows that the work to promote responsible forest management in Russia will continue thanks to our close partners and forest allies, who made FSC a success in Russia, ensuring responsible management and protection of vast areas of valuable forest. And we trust that certificate holders will continue to uphold their FSC Forest Management certification. The channels of communication remain open for stakeholders in Russia who are welcome to reach out to FSC International for any questions.

In February 2021, the Land and Environmental Court in Östersund upheld an appeal from the Skydda Skogen (Protect the Forest) association regarding a number of harvesting notifications on SCA land in Jämtland and Härjedalen. The Court also found in favor of a harvesting ban at the harvesting sites in question. SCA is now appealing this ruling to the Supreme Land and Environmental Court. In accordance with the Swedish Forestry Act, SCA reported the planned harvesting to the Swedish Forest Agency. The Agency had no objections and accordingly, after a period of six weeks, the landowner is free to implement the planned harvesting. The Skydda Skogen association conducted inventories in the areas in question and submitted the results to the Swedish Forest Agency in the form of findings of red-listed plant and animal species. When the Swedish Forest Agency did not act on this information, Skydda Skogen appealed the Agency’s decision – or, more correctly, that it refrained from making a decision. This appeal was upheld by the Land and Environmental Court in Östersund, which also referred the case back to the Swedish Forest Agency and ruled in favor of a harvesting ban.