Sustainability Magazine January 2020 | Page 53

Working forests actually play a critical role in ensuring the long-term health of our planet . Managed responsibly , forests producing fibre-based products can be part of the solution to the global climate crisis . A circular approach , whereby harvesting does not exceed annual growth and conservation areas are respected , maintains the health of forests and ensures a continued supply of wood and other forest products and services without deforestation or degradation .
As a leading global packaging and paper producer , with 80 % of our business being fibre-based , we support a landscape approach to ensure that our forests are protected , continue to function and provide benefits in the long-term . This involves a network of significant conservation areas , plus ‘ wood harvesting ’ areas , linked together in a mosaic landscape – we advocate this approach for our industry and others . We set aside 24 % of our own forests for conservation in order to maintain biodiversity . By investing in our paper-producing infrastructure , we also improve energy efficiency and reduce overall carbon emissions . This allows us to release 93 % of the water we withdraw from the environment for manufacturing back into the aquatic environment after treatment .
This is the fifth year that Mondi is working with WWF in a global partnership , and our relationship with WWF South Africa goes back over two decades . As part of this we focus on our stewardship of forests , climate and energy , freshwater and other ecosystems . We are also a WWF Climate
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