International Paper Climate Change Program
There are three components to the climate change program at International Paper Co. (IP), a leading U.S.-based paper products company:
- GHG Inventory and Reporting
- Reductions, Goals, and Voluntary Initiatives
- GHG Trading Programs
Inventory and Reporting
IP uses the GHG Protocol, an internationally accepted GHG emissions reporting system created by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, to conduct an international GHG emissions inventory. The company reports its GHG inventory in its annual sustainability report and gives its GHG emissions information to governments and third parties as a part of voluntary GHG programs. IP was one of the first adopters of the Pulp and Paper Sector Protocol, a reporting system created by the National Council for Air and Stream Improvement.
Reductions, Goals, and Voluntary Initiatives
As a participant in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Leaders Partnership — which encourages companies to develop long term GHG emissions reductions programs — IP has set a ten year 15% GHG emissions reduction target, to be accomplished by 2010. IP is also involved in the Business Roundtable RESOLVE initiative, a voluntary group that aims to reduce GHG emissions by 18% by 2012. IP is also involved in Canada’s Climate Change Voluntary Challenge and Registry, a program that allows companies to promote climate change practices through public-private partnerships.
Trading Programs
As a founding member of the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), a GHG emissions reduction and trading pilot program, IP has made voluntary legally binding commitments to reduce GHG emissions by 4% below average of a 1998-2001 baseline by 2006. CCX allows companies to offset U.S.-based projects with GHG emissions reduction programs in Brazil.
