Celebrating Forestry’s Role in Driving a Green Recovery

As we acknowledge the United Nations’ International Day of Forests on March 21, the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) applauds this year’s theme promoting “Forest Restoration as a Path to Recovery and Well-Being” as one that resonates with the positive impact that the forest products sector is making around the world.

Forests are home to 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity and provide energy for cooking and/or heating for two billion people on the planet. They also provide 75% of the world’s accessible freshwater for agricultural, domestic, industrial, and environmental uses.

“Global events over the last year have shifted social, environmental, and economic priorities in a permanent way,” noted ICFPA President Derek Nighbor. “We know that sustainable forest management, renewable forest products, and committed forest sector workers are uniquely suited to help drive a climate smart economic recovery, striving toward a net-zero future. ICFPA is pleased that the United Nations (UN) recognizes the vital role that the forest sector can play in driving a recovery that provides essential products and family-supporting jobs, sustains local communities, and implements powerful environmental solutions,” he added.

Wood-based products such as timber and paper are rapidly gaining a reputation for being the “ultimate renewable”. Not only are these products made from trees that are sustainably grown, harvested and replenished, they also store carbon for the length of the lives. Further to this, wood is increasingly being used for its cellulose, lignin and sugars in pharmaceutical, textiles and biochemicals, in helping the world find renewable and low-carbon alternatives.

“As we mark International Day of Forests, it is worth noting that the global forest sector is well-positioned to drive the global push to embrace a net-zero carbon economy by 2050 given its ability to remove carbon, store it in wood-based products, green our operations, transition other sectors away from fossil-fuel derived energy, and reduce land-based emissions through climate-smart forestry,” added Dr Lyndall Bull, Forestry Officer with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

For more information about the opportunities, sustainability, and solutions of the global forest and paper industry, please visit https://www.icfpa.org/. To learn more about International Day of Forests, please visit http://www.fao.org/international-day-of-forests/en/.

The ICFPA serves as a forum of global dialogue, coordination and co-operation. Currently, the ICFPA represents 18 pulp, paper, wood and fibre-based associations that encompass 28 countries, including many of the top pulp, paper and wood producers around the world.