The company announced it is carbon neutral in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. © Birla Cellulose

Birla Cellulose, a pulp and fibre business of Aditya Birla Group, has evaluated its carbon emissions across the entire global operations and is the first viscose manufacturer to declare carbon neutrality in Scope 1 and Scope 2 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

This achievement is a result of years of work done in creating energy-efficient processes, using renewable energy and ensuring net positive growth of the forest cover directly managed by Birla Cellulose, the company reports.

Dilip Gaur, Business Director, Pulp and Fibre Business, Aditya Birla Group, said that Birla Cellulose applies highly energy-efficient, closed-loop processes at its facilities that help it recover natural resources and reduce its GHG impact. The pulp manufacturing units derive between 83% and 93% of the energy requirements from renewable sources.

GHG study report

Total Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions were found to be 3.22 Mt CO2e, and the total net sequestering was 3.44 Mt CO2e at forests directly managed by Birla Cellulose, completely offsetting Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. The data of the Financial Year 2019 (April 2018 to March 2019) was used to conduct the evaluation.

The GHG emissions evaluation includes all 12 Birla Cellulose sites, including 5 pulp plants (3 in Canada,1 in Sweden and 1 in India) and 7 fibre plants (4 in India, 1 each in Indonesia, Thailand and China). The evaluation was done through the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative standard, and the carbon sequestering was evaluated via the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change) guidelines. The GHG evaluation study was validated and assured by Ernst and Young (EY), India.  

Birla Cellulose is the first in MMCF industry to do the Scope 3 greenhouse gases which were a part of the comprehensive exercise using GHG Protocol Corporate Value Chain accounting and reporting standards (Scope 3). The Scope 3 included purchased goods and services, fuel and energy related activities, upstream transportation and distribution, waste generation in operations, business travel, and downstream distribution. The total Scope 3 greenhouse gases were evaluated to be 2.01 million tCO2e for Birla Cellulose.

Plans to further cut GHG intensity

Birla Cellulose is preparing its plan to further reduce its GHG intensity by implementation of energy efficient technologies, increasing the use of renewable energy, improving energy efficiency of its supply chain, and increasing carbon sequestering in collaboration with its strategic partners.

This initiative is aligned to the Birla Cellulose business sustainability strategy, India’s commitment at Paris Accord and the Aditya Birla Group initiatives to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions.

www.birlacellulose.com