By Teresa Presas, Managing Director, CEPI
BRUSSELS,
Nov. 11, 2009 (RISI) -
Even before the motorcades roll in to Copenhagen, it seems the teeth have been extracted from the global summit which was supposed to herald a post-Kyoto era of climate change action. It now seems unlikely that the Copenhagen climate change conference will produce anything more than political agreement (rather than a binding treaty) for the foreseeable future.
So it's business as usual? I don't think so. You can be sure that the pressure on industry to play its part in reducing climate changing emissions will intensify. Treaty or not, Governments need to act, and be seen to act: and they cannot act without the industry.
So it is with a great sense of anticipation that we await Ola Alterå's keynote speech at the CEPI Annual Meeting next week during European Paper Week in Brussels. As Sweden's Secretary of State for Energy and Enterprise at the time of that country's EU presidency, Mr Alterå holds the brief that could significantly affect the business of producing paper. The other keynote speaker is MEP Dr Romana Jordan Cizelj, who is deeply involved in the work of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy: her knowledge of, and support for, the industry mean she is exceptionally well-placed to shed light on the likely implications of Copenhagen. Just as we are getting our heads around carbon footprint, the phrase "water footprint" is becoming common currency. We need to be informed.
We see European Paper Week as a vital opportunity to prepare for Copenhagen, and believe me, we really need to be prepared. Forestry will be central to the debates in December, when critical issues will be thrashed out, such as the carbon status for biomass and forest credits from logging. If our voice is to be heard, if we are to be perceived as credible, we need to show joined-up thinking with respect to climate change.
There is no need to approach Copenhagen defensively. If we succeed in presenting our industry to legislators not only as economically vital, but as a positive force for tackling climate change, then there is a better chance that our role will be understood. We know that the paper industry's packaging solutions, for example, are based on renewable resources, are recyclable and sustainable. With Government backing throughout Europe and beyond, our industry stands to gain rather than suffer from future policy decisions made in the wake of Copenhagen.
Let's get this right. See you in Brussels next week.
