India's Birla Cellulose aims for net zero carbon emissions by 2040

The company also targets to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions intensity to half by 2030 from the baseline of 2019. Birla Cellulose’s commitment to carbon neutrality and GHG reductions includes scope 1, scope 2, scope 3 emissions, and the carbon sequestration in managed forests and are derived using science-based methods, Birla Cellulose said in a press release.

Birla Cellulose’s net-zero announcement aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 & 13 on climate change and affordable and clean energy.

“This is a natural progression in Birla Cellulose’s global leadership in the area of sustainability. Birla Cellulose’s climate target is at the core of its business strategy that aims to address climate change-related risks and adapt to changing consumer preferences for more sustainable, nature-based, and low emission products. With a legacy of innovation in the MMCF industry spanning seven decades, Birla Cellulose continues to work on cutting-edge technologies that will accelerate this transition," HK Agarwal, managing director, Grasim Industries Ltd and business director, Birla Cellulose, said.

The roadmap would include increased use of renewable energy in its processes, investment in innovative low emission technologies, net positive carbon sequestration in its managed forests, and a sharp focus on circular fashion.

Currently, around 40 per cent of the energy for the global operations of Birla Cellulose comes from renewable sources. In addition to this, in an assessment carried by E&Y in 2019, the carbon sequestered in its directly managed forests exceeded the entire scope 1 and scope 2 emissions from global sites during the year, the release added.

Birla Cellulose leads the industry in sustainability practices such as sustainable forestry (ranked #1 in Canopy Hot Button Ranking 2021) and has set the industry benchmark for the lowest water intensity for viscose and lyocell production. It has recently commissioned the first Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) plant in the MMCF industry globally and has the largest social responsibility programme in the industry.