Implementing AF & PA's climate vision.The first anniversary of the Administration's Climate VISION program marks a good time to tell the forest products industry how AF & PA intends to reach its goal of reducing greenhouse gas greenhouse gas n. Any of the atmospheric gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect. greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 12% compared to 2012. We have an outstanding story to tell, highlighted by paper recovery, renewable products, the sequestration sequestration In law, a writ authorizing a law-enforcement official to take into custody the property of a defendant in order to enforce a judgment or to preserve the property until a judgment is rendered. of carbon dioxide carbon dioxide, chemical compound, CO2, a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that is about one and one-half times as dense as air under ordinary conditions of temperature and pressure. in forests and forest products, and increased energy efficiency and technological improvements. Climate VISION, sponsored by the Department of Energy, stands for Voluntary Innovative Sector Initiatives: Opportunities Now. Under this program, industries representing 90% of the U.S. economy have promised to reduce greenhouse emissions intensity. The forest products industry has proposed one of the highest emission reduction goals. Here's how we will achieve it. NEAR-TERM OPPORTUNITIES In making its Climate VISION commitment, the forest products industry identified several programs that are fundamental to the industry and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Some aspects of these programs can be implemented immediately to yield results over the next decade. These are: * In 2003, AF & PA announced a new paper recovery goal of 55% of all paper consumed in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. by 2012. AF & PA expects that achieving the recovery rate of 55 percent will lead to corresponding reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by reducing potential emissions from landfills. * The world's forests remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it for long periods of time. Efforts to increase forest productivity and to sustainably manage forests, increase carbon sequestration. To encourage sustainable management of forests, AF & PA has taken a strong position against illegal logging Illegal logging is the harvest, transportation, purchase or sale of timber in violation of national laws. The harvesting procedure itself may be illegal, including using corrupt means to gain access to forests; extraction without permission or from a protected area; the cutting of and is actively promoting mutual recognition of various forestry sustainable management standards, such as our own Sustainable Forestry Initiative The Sustainable Forestry Initiative is a program to certify forests to insure they are being managed in a sustainable manner. SFI was started in 1994 by members of the American Forest and Paper Association. (SFI SFI Sustainable Forestry Initiative (forest certification program of AF&PA) SFI Santa Fe Institute (scientific research in Santa Fe, New Mexico) SFI Science Foundation Ireland SFI Six Figure Income ) program. * In addition to managing forests that store or sequester sequester v. to keep separate or apart. In so-called "high-profile" criminal prosecutions (involving major crimes, events, or persons given wide publicity) the jury is sometimes "sequestered" in a hotel without access to news media, the general public or their carbon, the forest products industry also produces products that contribute to carbon sequestration. * Energy efficiency and technology improvements are accounting for greenhouse gas reductions in the industry. AF & PA also is a part of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Industries of the Future program, a collaborative research and development partnership. AF & PA is promoting technologies emerging from this research effort, a number of which will cut energy use and minimize environmental impacts while improving productivity. CROSS-SECTOR PROJECTS A number of the steps that AF & PA is taking through Climate VISION will have a favorable effect on other industries. For example, the commitment to recover 55% of the paper currently used in the United States will reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfill. Also, generation of electricity from biomass or through cogeneration processes reduces the amount of power the industry purchases. The forest products industry currently produces and exports electricity generated from renewable biomass sources and is developing technologies that will increase exports of electricity generated from renewable energy Renewable energy utilizes natural resources such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat, which are naturally replenished. Renewable energy technologies range from solar power, wind power, and hydroelectricity to biomass and biofuels for transportation. . ACCELERATE INVESTMENT IN R & D Under the Agenda 2020 program, the forest products industry is developing technologies that will create energy from its biomass byproducts. Black liquor Black liquor is a byproduct of the Kraft process, (also known as Kraft pulping or sulfate process) during the production of paper pulp. Wood is decomposed into cellulose fibers (from which paper is made), hemicellulose and lignin fragments. , created during the chemical pulping process, can be efficiently burned like natural gas when gasified gas·i·fy tr. & intr.v. gas·i·fied, gas·i·fy·ing, gas·i·fies To convert into or become gas. gas under pressure. If fully commercialized, black liquor gasification gas·i·fy tr. & intr.v. gas·i·fied, gas·i·fy·ing, gas·i·fies To convert into or become gas. gas could produce enormous energy and environmental benefits. In fact, biomass gasification technologies could make the U.S. forest products industry energy self-reliant and an exporter of electricity created from renewable energy sources. A commercial-scale black liquor plant is being built by Georgia-Pacific Corp. In Big Island, Virginia, USA, and is slated to go online in 2004. The project is part of the Agenda 2020 program and is a partnership with DOE. MEASUREMENT AND REPORTING In 2002, AF & PA, acting through the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations, developed a calculation tool for estimating greenhouse gas emissions from pulp and paper mills. In 2003, AF & PA members, working with their Canadian counterparts, developed a similar tool for calculating greenhouse gas emissions from wood products facilities. This year, AF & PA will be working with the U.S. Departments of Agriculture and Energy on a comprehensive forest carbon accounting methodology. These tools address the industry's unique attributes and allow the international industry to collect credible, transparent data that is comparable around the world. AF & PA members are proud of their commitment to reduce the nation's greenhouse gas emissions intensity. It gives our members an opportunity to support the administration's voluntary approach to climate change and to show their commitment to making voluntary programs work. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sharon Kneiss is vice president, regulatory affairs Regulatory Affairs (RA), also called Government Affairs, is a profession within regulated industries, such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, energy, and banking. Regulatory Affairs professionals usually have responsibility for the following general areas: [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] |
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