The road to decarbonisation runs through Europe

At Sappi, we've set ambitious targets to decarbonise our business to achieve the sustainable, low-carbon future agreed in the Paris Climate Accord and affirmed in the European Green Deal.

On this decarbonisation journey, we're bringing together the brilliance  of technology​, the power of  nature and the creativity of  people​. While this is an immense challenge, it is one we are embracing with enthusiasm and steadfast determination.

 

Sappi Europe’s Decarbonisation Roadmap lays out ambitious initiatives to reduce emissions and optimise material and resource use in our mills across Europe. It reflects over 80 projects that we're prioritising and implementing through 2025. Discover some of the breakthrough projects that show our climate ambition in action!


The Roadmap is currently scoped for projects occurring in the period 2021-2025. Soon it will be extended to 2030 and then beyond as new project ideas are developed and new insights and technologies become available. So, what do these projects involve exactly on the road to decarbonisation? The Roadmap has three main priorities for action.

1. Exiting Coal 

This is where the biggest impact in emission reductions is possible. By exiting coal in the few mills that partially used this fuel, we have shifted to using renewable biomass in its place.  

2. Green electricity 

We´ve committed to procure more green electricity from the grid where it is available. This reduces our Scope 2 emissions, especially at our mills in Germany.  

3. Eco-effectiveness 

All mills will embark on “eco-effective” projects to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions on an ongoing basis, investing in state-of-the-art technology and processes.

One of the first milestones in the roadmap was reached in 2020 with our decision to upgrade Boiler 11 at Gratkorn Mill in Austria. This project realised a shift from a coal boiler to a multi-fuel boiler in two phases with the goal to finally use only sustainable and renewable fuels. 

In the context of mitigating climate change and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, this 10-year period ahead is known as the Decade of Action. Connect with our European Director of Sustainability, Sarah Price to learn more.