MerelvanderMark - Environmental Paper Network

China Development Bank backs out of financing Sinar Mas purchase of Eldorado

It did not make the headlines. In fact, it was not even mentioned in most of the articles about the broken contract between J&F Investimentos and Paper Excellence on the sale of Eldorado Brasil Celulose SA. But the most interesting part in the otherwise predictable fight between two problematic paper giants over a mill is […]

China’s green Belt and Road tested at the Russian border

A pulp and paper mill in Siberia is a test case for China’s ecological vision, writes Eugene Simonov Facing growing demand for wood and shortages in domestic supply, Chinese authorities are pushing for greater imports from Russia, ignoring the fact that its neighbour will cease to be a reliable supplier within a decade. On the […]

Banks should demand high ESG criteria on Suzano-Fibria deal

The acquisition of Fibria by Suzano has created the world’s largest pulp company with a production capacity of 8.6 million tonnes a year. This can be both a threat and an opportunity from a social and environmental perspective. Big companies can have big impacts. But they also have a leading role, and any improvements on […]

A glimpse of hope for Siberian forests as ZJR Company removes Amazar pulp mill from Shenzhen Stock Exchange

A year after the appeal of environmentalists, the placement of ZJR Company shares on the Shenzhen Exchange to raise funds for the construction of the Amazar Pulp and Saw Mill was finally canceled. If it cannot raise sufficient funds, the project proponents might not be able to complete the pulp mill project, which is expected […]

Sustainability commitments should be taken into account in Fibria deal

A battle is ongoing in the world of pulp production as two giants, Suzano and APP/Paper Excellence, fight over Fibria, the world’s largest producer of eucalyptus pulp. In these battles, price tends to be the determining factor, but we urge Fibria’s shareholders, as well as the investors in this deal, to also take sustainability commitments […]

Bank policies that protect peatlands and reduce deadly fires in Indonesia are long overdue

Many financial institutions are divesting from the coal industry, and avoiding association with fossil fuels, yet investment in the Indonesian pulp industry is also the root cause of massive greenhouse gas emissions. It’s time for banks to put in place safeguards to stop any further irresponsible involvement in the pulp industry. In February 2018, Indonesia’s […]