Environmental objectives
For many years, Holmen has been working with Group-wide environmental targets for sustainable development.
Increased production and use of products made from renewable forest raw material are important for the climate. Holmen’s value creation begins in the sustainably managed forest. By absorbing carbon dioxide, the forest plays an important role for the climate, while also contributing a renewable raw material for our industry. With our own renewable energy production and resourceefficient production units, Holmen creates climate-smart products for the future.
Goal 1: Increased forest growth
Growth in Holmen’s forests is to increase, which will give higher future harvests and capture more carbon dioxide. The volume of standing timber and harvesting will be 50 per cent higher in 2050 than in the base year 2000.
The volume of standing timber has grown by 16 per cent to year 2018, with harvesting up 23 per cent
Goal 2: Carbon emissions
By 2020, use of fossil fuels at the Group’s mills will be down 90 per cent compared with the base year 2005.
The use of fossil fuels at the mills has fallen by 86 per cent year 2018 compared to year e 2005.
Goal 3: Renewable electricity production
Company-generated renewable electricity will equate to 50 per cent of Holmen’s total electricity consumption by 2020, compared with 31 per cent in the base year 2005.
The proportion of company-generated renewable electricity in 2018 amounted to 45 per cent.
Targets and activities at European level
Holmen's environmental targets for sustainable development are in line
with the activities proposed by the European Commission which aims at tackling the ongoing changes to the Earth's climate.
Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the EU has adopted climate targets for 2020 and 2030. The EU’s total emissions are to be reduced by 20 per cent by 2020 and by 40 per cent by 2030 compared with 1990. At the end of 2018, the EU presented a long-term climate strategy with the goal of zero net emissions by 2050.
Holmen's operations are characterised by renewables in raw material and energy, recovery of energy and fibre, new products, and raw materials and products that bind carbon dioxide and serve as substitutes for materials that have an impact on climate. Holmen’s ambitions in the area of climate and energy are therefore in line with the sustainability goals formulated at global, European and national level.