Increasing the amount of carbon stored in forests by 30% (in hectares) from the 2018 level

We promote sustainable forest management, which is key to increasing the carbon storage of forests. Forests store carbon while growing. With the sustainable forest management and e.g. thinnings the trees get more light and space that supports the strong growth and accelerates carbon storing. Fertilising the forests can also be used to support the growth.

In 2020, the management of young stands increased 14% compared to the base year as a result of
dedicated efforts. However, the land mass of forest regeneration has declined by 11% due to
smaller volumes of felling.

Increasing the amount of carbon stored in products  by 30% (in tonnes) from the 2018 level

Metsä Group aims to increase the amount of carbon stored in products with a long life span. Those products have a clear role in mitigating the climate change. As an example, in buildings wood products store carbon for a long time. In the future, the portfolio may include for example textile fibres.

In 2020 the production of sawn timber and wood products decreased by 8.9% compared to the base year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the strikes that occurred in Finland in early 2020.

In 2020, an investment decision was made to construct a major sawmill in Rauma, Finland, which will greatly increase our volume of carbon-storing products.

Safeguarding biodiversity of forests: We leave high biodiversity stumps in 90% of thinnings and leave retention trees in all the regeneration cuttings

Safeguarding biodiversity is part of our daily actions. For different species, standing and fallen decayed wood is a key habitat. For that, we aim to leave high biodiversity stumps and retentions trees in harvesting.

In 2020, high biodiversity stumps were left in over 84% of thinnings and regeneration logging sites. This
supports the  biodiversity of forests through leaving vital habitats for hole nesters and species dependent on decaying wood. Retention trees were left at 94% of all regeneration logging sites. They have two principal purposes: providing a forest with trees of various ages, and with decaying wood.

Fossil free mills

Currently 90% of the fuels used in production are bio-based, and mostly of production side streams. Roundwood is not directed to energy production. We produce over 15% of the renewable energy in Finland. In 2020 we produced renewable, side streams based fuels equivalent to 27 TWh.

Resource efficient production: All the production side streams will be fully utilised by 2030

Resource efficiency is key in our operations. Renewable wood is our main raw material. Each part of that is utilised to the highest added-value products. We use raw material, water and energy efficiently and always aim to continuous development and improvement.

93% of the production side streams are utilised as materials or energy.

Resource efficient production: The use of process water will be decreased by 25% by 2030 from the 2018 level

In areas where we operate, water is mostly an abundant resource. Still, we put effort to continuously decrease the use of process water. 99% of the water we use is surface water. We don’t weaken any other party’s access to water.

In 2020, the use of process water increased by 2.6% compared to 2019. The increase
was largely due to production interruptions resulting from maintenance shutdowns and
strikes. Since 2010, the Group’s use of process water has decreased
by 19% per product tonne.