Brasil na PulPaper - Revista O Papel

CADERNO BRACELPAO PAPEL - Junho 201018Coluna BracelpaBracelpa ColumnThe challenges of a lowcarbon economyThe forest base industry offerssociety environmentally friendly solutionsand recyclable products thatensure the sustainable development ofthe global economy. Additionally, itcontributes to mitigate climate changeand reduce CO 2emissions in theatmosphere. A “green future” for theplanet is not a matter that only relatesto non-governmental organizationsand environmentalists; it is also a toppriority of this industry’s agenda.The above statements summarizethe main opinions at the annual InternationalCouncil of Forest and PaperAssociations (ICFPA) meeting, andthe 51 st Session of the Advisory Committeeon Paper and Wood Products(ACPWP) held by the United NationsFood and Agriculture Organization(FAO), which events Bracelpa attendedin late May, in Tokyo, Japan.Representatives of associationsfrom the main countries that partake inthe global forest base market analyzedthese issues, exchanged experiencesand discussed business strategies focusingmainly on the Convention onClimate Change (COP16), scheduledto take place in November, in Mexico.During the meeting, emphasiswas placed on Brazil’s role and that ofplanted forests in the sector regardingCO 2absorption, as well as on the developmentof a low carbon economy,which is already changing internationaltrade relations. It was also stressed thatBy Elizabeth de Carvalhaes,the executive president of the BrazilianPulp and Paper Industry (Bracelpa).E-mail: faleconosco@bracelpa.org.brthe rapid growth of planted forestsand the high rate of carbon absorptionin combating global warming are themain arguments of Brazil’s pulp andpaper sector in climate negotiations.We expounded that the objective is toconquer the validity of forest carboncredits as a mechanism for offsettingemissions, which proposal will beplaced by Brazil’s government on theCOP16 negotiation table.Planted forests were also recognizedby Michael Peter, executive directorof Forestry South Africa, the mainforest entity in that country: “Wood isa recyclable and renewable materialand its lifecycle does not end when itis cut. As such, it is necessary to showthat the end products and also the newplanted forest areas continue to stockcarbon”, said the executive.In terms of forest base, discussionsshowed that the main challenge of entities,and companies associated to them,is to change the common perceptionthat forests “will shrink” if used. In thissense, it is necessary to center effortson showing that the opposite is whatactually occurs. That is, the more woodproducts consumers buy that originatefrom sustainable forestry, the morethey will be contributing to maintainthe forest base in development, throughnew investments and new mills.Population growth and the needto mitigate climate change once againreinforced the importance of the forestindustry worldwide. Sustainable managementis a prerequisite in pursuingfuture global demand for products andservices, while building a low carboneconomy. This issue again placesthe pulp and paper industry in thecenter of debates. “New policies willinfluence industrial development and,for such, the partnership between theprivate sector and FAO will be crucial”,asseverated Teresa Presas, ICFPA’spresident.The forest base industry is reactingpositively to the challenges of change,and it will have a great opportunity toshow its value in 2011, when the UnitedNations International Year of Forestswill occur.We need to prepare ourselves forthis event and show Brazil and theworld the role of forests – particularlyplanted forests – in this newscenario of pursuing a low carboneconomy, which will mark the futureof next generations.Revista O Papel na InternetComeça a ser construído umconteúdo além das páginasimpressas para oferecer muitomais aos leitores! Acesse:www.revistaopapel.org.br