Towards a Sustainable Paper Cycle, 1998 Pulping Conference Proceedings

In 1996, the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development published a report titled “Towards a Sustainable Paper Cycle.” This report, contracted by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, was the culmination of more than a year’s study of the pulp and paper industry globally. All phases of the cycle were examined, including fiber supply, pulp and paper production, paper usage, recycling, energy recovery and final disposal.

Central to the overall project was the examination of forestry and fiber supply. This paper focuses on these components, outlining the approach taken and the key findings and recommendations. The study began with a bench-marking of the existing fiber supply situation. Global pulpwood fiber volumes were disaggregated by type (chips or roundwood), regions and forest type. This was followed by a review and assessment of the key issues involved in the quest for sustainable forest management globally. In addressing the question “will there be enough fiber?”, the study analyzed the long-term outlook for world fiber supply. A pulpwood supply model was developed which enabled an examination of the responsiveness of the existing system under varying assumptions regarding demand and supply. The impact on pulpwood prices was determined in each case. Plantations were identified as a key factor in the future global supply of wood fiber and their environmental impacts discussed.