CMPC commits specific environmental goals in contribution to climate change mitigation

• CMPC has publicly committed to reduce its green house gases emissions and to reduce its water usage in its industrial processes. It will also turn into a zero waste in landfills company beginning 2025.

• Also, in the framework of celebrating its first 100 Anniversary, CMPC has launched the major challenge of recuperating native forests and landscapes through restoration and conservation of 100 thousand hectares by year 2030, in addition to the 325 thousand conservation hectares they currently have.

• CMPC’s CEO has submitted and signed at the United Nations, the roadmap of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) on behalf of the forest industry in order to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.

“Climate change is a fact that hurts all of us, therefore all sectors and individuals ought to contribute in mitigating”. With these words CMPC’s CEO Francisco Ruiz-Tagle, submitted the company goals to deal with reducing its environmental impacts, especially those related to greenhouse gases emissions.

“All human activities impact our environment, but we also need industries to cover our basic needs”, the executive said, while furthermore he said, ”what we need is to assume the maximum of these impacts in order to reduce our footprints to a minimum”.

In this context, CMPC has committed a 50% reduction of its absolute greenhouse gases emissions (tier 1 + 2) towards 2030, being the baseline the 2018 level emissions.  The Company´s total emissions last year were (CO₂e) 7.6 million CO₂ equivalent, while tier 1 and 2 emissions were 2.3 million tons CO₂e.

This reduction will be achieved through energy and productive enhanced efficiency, in addition to the change in fuel utilization, among other actions.

“While contributing in emissions reduction for our industrial processes in countries where we operate, it is important to recall that forestry plantations in Chile, Argentina and Brazil owned by CMPC, plus the 325 thousand native forests conservation hectares we have in those countries, contribute effectively, and in a very relevant way, in capturing CO₂”,  Francisco Ruiz-Tagle said.

It is estimated that total CO₂ sequestration in CMPC’s planted forests including Chile, Argentina and Brazil, are 25 million tCO₂e.  While, CMPC’s conservation areas in Chile add up to 620 thousand tCO₂e, captured and sequestered.

Water

Another commitment placed by CMPC is related to a 25% reduction in industrial water use per produced ton towards 2025, being the baseline the 2018 consumption level. This includes its 43 mills in 8 Latin American countries.

In 2018 CMPC used nearly 200 million cubic meters of water , out of which 85% were treated  and returned to underground and surface sources, in improved sanitary quality with regard to the moment in which they were captured.

Residues

“With regard to industrial residues and its disposal; this is, landfills, our purpose is simple and direct: we want to be a zero residue company in not longer than 6 years ”, CMPC’s CEO stated.

This goal is currently underway, searching for opportunities in residues generation through improvements in our operational excellency, the use of new technologies, innovative industrial processes and products, and internal synergies.

“We have also spotted opportunities in industrial residues valuation by transforming them into by-products from wood processing “,  Ruiz-Tagle said.

He further said, as matter of fact “Guaiba mill, the largest pulp plant in our company, is already a zero residue mill as it turns them into fertilizers for agriculture”.

Reforestation

In order to further contribute in capturing CO2, and preserving native species and landscapes,  CMPC has also announced the conservation and restoration of 100 thousand hectares towards 2030,  in addition to the 325 thousand conservation and protection hectares the company owns in Chile, Argentina and Brazil.

Currently, CMPC has one of the most advanced native seedling and trees nursery in the country, supplying these species for its internal restoration processes and also  for reforestation purposes  in the Metropolitan Park in Santiago, Chile.

Roadmap

CMPC’s CEO Francisco Ruiz-Tagle, participated as the Roadmap of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) presenter on behalf of the Forestry Sector  of the  World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), one of the most important world institutions grouping the global private sector  in sustainable affaires.

The 48-page document was submitted at the United Nations as the result of 18-month work, of 11 involved companies and determines 8 impact opportunities. The Forestry Sector Roadmap searches to contribute effectively and most appropriately to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations Organization (ONU), adopted in September 2015 by the member states in order to overcome poverty, protect the planet and secure prosperity for everyone, thereby designing a new sustainable development agenda at global level.

“It is along these lines that CMPC’s environmental goals, which we are presenting, are framed; in addition to the efforts we are undertaking in order to consolidate the ties with communities and neighbors to our operations “, Ruiz-Tagle said.

The Roadmap details can be viewed at: https://www.wbcsd.org/Sector-Projects/Forest-Solutions-Group/Resources/Forest-Sector-SDG-Roadmap