Don Kayne
Canfor is proud to be part of an industry that is leading Canada’s fight against climate change. With the “30 by 30” Climate Change Challenge, the Canadian forest products industry is pledging to remove 30 mega-tonnes (MT) of Co2 a year by 2030.
This is more than 13 per cent of the Canadian government’s target to reduce emissions by 30 per cent over that period.
Canada’s forest products industry has some of the best environmental practices in the world, yet despite already being ahead of the curve, the forest sector is boldly raising the bar yet again with this challenge to help Canada reach its new climate goals, as well as being the first to voluntarily contribute to the federal government’s climate change goals.
Canada’s forests, represent 348 million hectares of forest land or nine per cent of the world’s forests. They absorb a tremendous amount of CO2 from our atmosphere and are a renewable resource that is vital to Canada’s transition to a greener low carbon economy.
How our industry plans to face this challenge to reduce 30 MT is by such measures as:
• forest management practices that can maximize carbon storage in the forest and spur the growth of trees;
• increasing the use of innovative forest products and clean technology to displace materials made from fossil fuels; and
•further efficiencies at mill sites.
In the months ahead, the Canadian forest products industry will prepare a detailed road map to meet its new Climate Change Challenge.
Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, Jim Carr, welcomed the announcement sharing, “There can be no global solution to climate change without the forest sector, and the 30x30 challenge demonstrates the sector’s leadership.
"Through innovation in sustainable forest management, tall wood buildings, and the development of forest-based bio-products, including biofuels, the forest sector continues to adapt to meet the demands of changing global markets and the goal of a low- carbon economy.”
It’s an ambitious target, but a challenge Canfor and the entire Canadian forest sector is willing to push ourselves to achieve. You can find out more about the “30 by 30” challenge at www.fpac.ca/30by30.
– Don Kayne is Canfor's chief executive officer.