WWF-India, in
association with the Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC) has initiated a campaign to raise awareness about FSC
Certified Paper to promote responsible purchasing and protect forests globally.
The campaign aims to promote the production and consumption of FSC paper
products in India by raising awareness of the environmental and social benefits
of FSC certification and the problems caused by unsustainable forestry
activity.
According to the Indian Paper Manufacturers Association, India's paper
consumption has grown at a steady rate of 8% in the last five years and the
consumption of paper is projected to rise by over 53% by 2020. Rising demand
and wasteful consumption puts huge pressure on the world’s limited natural
forests and the communities and biodiversity they support. This challenge spans
the whole supply chain, from where and how wood is grown and harvested to how
wisely and efficiently it is processed, used and reused. FSC offers a framework
for sustainability across this entire chain.
The campaign aims to reach out to companies to build awareness about FSC and
help them switch to business cards, copier paper and packaging made from
FSC-certified materials where further reductions in paper use are not yet
feasible.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) strives to promote environmentally
appropriate forest management globally to ensure the harvest of timber and
non-timber products maintains the forest's biodiversity, productivity, and
ecological processes. FSC standards (certification and labelling of forest
products) are recognized as the global benchmark for sustenance, ensuring the
entire production process is tracked from the plantation of forest right
through to the end product.