Sonae Arauco, a leading company in the sustainable wood-based solutions sector, announces the results of its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Report. Since the reference year of 2019, the company has already reduced its total GHG emissions by 41%, contributing to the achievement of the Paris Agreement objectives. The carbon intensity per cubic meter produced has also fallen by 38% since 2019. 

According to the externally audited and now released 2024 GHG Emissions Report, Sonae Arauco's total emissions (Scopes 1, 2 and 3) totaled 1.18 million tons of CO₂ equivalent (MtCO₂e) in 2024, representing a 16% reduction compared to the previous year.

Cristian Knollseisen, Chief Financial Officer of Sonae Arauco, states: “Sonae Arauco develops a sustainable activity, whether through the products it places on the market, which are carbon dioxide sinks, its circular economy model, or its contribution to responsible forest management. The emissions reduction now announced reinforces our commitment to contributing to the fulfillment of the Paris Agreement and our alignment with the principles of the European Green Deal.”

Key initiatives in Portugal

In Portugal, among the main recent measures to reduce emissions, the following deserve special mention:

• The elimination of the use of natural gas at the Mangualde unit, replaced by 100% renewable energy, in a project with Capwatt.
  
  
• The increase in the mix of renewable energies in electricity purchases.
  
  
• The electrification of the vehicle fleet, as well as the forklifts used in its units, reinforcing energy efficiency.
  
  

A global commitment

Emission mitigation measures are transversal to all the group's operations worldwide, from Portugal, through Spain and Germany, to South Africa. The focus on renewable energy production projects, renewable energy purchase agreements, and the electrification of machinery and equipment has contributed most significantly to the reduction of direct and indirect emissions.

Given that these represent approximately 82% of the group's GHG emissions, special attention was given to scope 3 emissions (emissions associated with the value chain), which have shown a 39% reduction since 2019. This result was achieved through the selection and collaborative work with suppliers in obtaining specific emission factors per product – especially for chemicals, which have a large impact – and in strengthening circular economy strategies, particularly with the recycling and reuse of waste and by-products from the timber industry.

Reduction of at least 58.8% by 2033.

Despite the results already achieved, the company's decarbonization commitment remains demanding. Reducing emissions by at least 58.8% by 2033, compared to 2019, requires a continuous and shared effort involving all areas of the company and stakeholders across the value chain. To achieve this goal, Sonae Arauco is integrating CO₂ metrics into its capital expenditure (CAPEX) planning and developing specific decarbonization roadmaps for each industrial unit and for the categories with the greatest impact on the value chain.

The experience and successes already achieved serve as a model for the global decarbonization strategy. This comprehensive commitment is intrinsically linked to the company's values ​​and identity.