Pulp or Conflict

The Finnish forestry investments have grown Latin America. At the same the transfer of the pulp production to Latin American eucalyptus plantations has created new kind of environmental and social impacts, and the global pulp industry have long been the subject of heated debate. Discussions about the impoverishment of the soil, the sufficiency of water, the burden on water bodies and the tax treatment of companies have risen in various contest, also in the media and in politics. The huge size of pulp mill investments and land ownership issues have also been talked about. On the other hand, the fact is that the world uses paper, cardboard, and their raw material cellulose. Where, then, pulp production is possible, economically efficient and socially and environmentally sustainable and rational? The key question issue in all pulp mill investments is where to find the raw material, wood. Equally water resources, possibility to build transportation logistics and other infrastructure in the place are needed. Especially environmental NGOs have criticized sternly the pulp production in Latin America and in Global South, in general. Often this critique is discussed under the concept extractivism. Criticism has been based on both research knowledge and feelings, and, also in beliefs. The pulp industry representatives have responded to the critique, leaning equally to the scientific research and their own analysis, and also arguing that they operate within the best available technology and in the framework of corporate social responsibility and by completely legal means. Through genuinely multidisciplinary analysis, this project explores the arguments that different actors have used in both criticizing and defending the pulp industry. This project creates a general conflict resolution toolkit and road map to avoid gaps between different world-visions. It develops concrete tools for how deal with possible conflictive situations of global investments.