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Global Forest and Paper Industry celebrates International Day of Forests

The peak national body for the forest, wood and paper industry, the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA), is calling on Australians to celebrate the International Day of Forests on 21 March, 2015, a global celebration of forests which raises awareness of the importance of all types of forests and trees. The theme of the 2015 United Nations International Day of Forests is “Forests and Climate Change”.

The International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) is proud to represent the global forest products industry and its commitment to climate change mitigation along the entire value chain. ICFPA President in Washington, Donna Harman said, “Trees, especially those in wellmanaged forests, absorb carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide remains stored when trees are used to make forest products, and that storage can be prolonged through recycling.”

In addition, the forest products industry plays an important role in contributing to the production of renewable energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels by using residuals and by-products to produce much of the energy required for its operations. These residuals and by-products, known as biomass, are carbon neutral when combusted for energy, according to the international carbon accounting principle.

Chief Executive Officer of AFPA Mr Ross Hampton said, “In a rapidly expanding world with a carbon constrained global economy, forestry and fibre are the environmental and green commodities par excellence of the twenty first century. There is a continuous cycle of carbon storing through wood products, and every year 80 million trees are replanted and regenerated in Australia. The environmental benefits continue as the wood waste and biomass, which are produced as a normal byproduct of sustainable forest management practices, can be used for renewable energy.”

The International Day of Forests is a celebration that highlights the ways in which forests and climate change are linked, and to rally global support for greater action and change to recognise this important link.

AFPA is a member of the ICFPA, which represents more than 30 national and regional forest and paper associations around the world. Together, ICFPA members represent over 90 percent of global paper production and half of global wood production.

 

21.03.2015 Global Forest and Paper Industry celebrates International Day of Forests

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