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Resolute sets goal to reduce absolute GHG emissions by 30%

Resolute Forest Products plans to reduce its scope 1 and 2 absolute greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the next four years.

The company says it will reduce absolute GHG emissions 30 per cent against 2015 levels by 2025. This new target builds on the company’s 83 per cent reduction in absolute GHG emissions from year-2000 levels, two-thirds of which reflect reductions in emission intensity.

By achieving this target, the company will have reduced its emissions by nearly 700,000 metric tons of CO₂ equivalents per year compared to its 2015 level.

“Resolute was an early adopter of climate action as a cornerstone of our sustainability strategy,” says Remi G. Lalonde, president and chief executive officer, in a statement.

“Setting this new target is among my first actions as CEO, demonstrating our continued focus around this important issue. Our commitment to renewable energy is good for the environment and it’s good for the bottom line. Three-quarters of our total energy needs come from renewable sources such as hydroelectricity and carbon-neutral biomass, and more than 80 per cent of our fuel energy comes from biomass. We’ve been scope 1 coal-free since 2014.”

Projects already improving efficiency

One of the more recent projects that will help the company realize these goals is an efficiency enhancement at the Saint-Félicien, Que. pulp mill to improve production capacity and reduce fossil-fuel use by up to 20 per cent.

Another is the modernization of the cogeneration turbine at the Coosa Pines, Ala. pulp mill to reduce purchased electricity use by six per cent.

A third project is the installation of a sophisticated heat recovery unit at the Thunder Bay, Ont. pulp and paper mill to recover waste heat and, as a result, decrease the use of fossil fuels by over 20 per cent.

The company also announced commitments to include the previously excluded wood products facilities’ GHG emissions in its GHG inventory by 2022;
continue to report climate change data and management practices to CDP’s climate change program, including scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions; and
further integrate sustainability practices in its supply chain by working with suppliers and related stakeholders to develop scope 3 GHG emission reduction commitments.

The company says it is committed to maintaining effective sustainability oversight, governance and management practices, and has moved beyond already rigorous regulatory compliance and environmental incident management to commit to transparency and annual sustainability reporting.