Industry-wide carbon neutrality for forest sector by 2015

The forest industry is directly and indirectly responsible for significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from harvesting activities, manufacturing, transportation and product disposal. At the same time forests, soils, biomass and forest products all have the potential to store carbon for varying degrees of time. Activities aimed at reducing emissions, increasing carbon storage and reducing reliance on fossil fuels can positively influence the amount of CO2 and other GHG in the atmosphere.

The Forest Products Association of Canada (FPAC) and WWF-Canada both believe that providing leadership in sustainability and environmental performance will realize some of the greatest opportunities for the future of the forest industry. With this in mind, FPAC and WWF-Canada have committed to use their collective resources and influence to affect positive change.

With the support of WWF-Canada, FPAC has committed to the goal of industry-wide carbon-neutrality by 2015 without the purchase of carbon-offset credits – a world first. FPAC and WWF-Canada have also agreed to use this partnership to leverage broader uptake within the forest industry, across the forest product value chain and in other sectors.

The intended impacts of this partnership are measurable improvements in GHG performance across the forestry industry in Canada, greater accountability for GHG impacts across the forest products value chain; and increased support for implementation of voluntary sector-wide GHG commitments in other sectors and/or countries.