Abstract
\tPulp and paper markets in the UNECE region were influenced by higher energy prices and demand growth in Asia in 2005 and 2006. Important developments in Europe included the launching of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, which was followed by substantial increases in electrical energy prices. High global energy prices pushed up costs of production and prices for pulp, paper and paperboard, with price increases absorbed by relatively strong global market demands. China continues to be a growing source of global demand for wood fibre, including recovered paper, which China imports in large volumes from the UNECE region. The European pulp and paper industry is deeply involved with the implementation of the Lisbon Agenda to improve the competitiveness of European industry, for instance, through the drafting of a Strategic Research Agenda. European producers of paper and paperboard set a new record for output, at 104 million m.t. in 2005, growing slowly by 0.4% from 2004. In 2005 in North America, output of paper and paperboard decreased by 1.5% to 101.1 million m.t. from 2004, although prices continued to increase in 2005 and the first half of 2006. In June of 2006, the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations announced the signing of an agreement by its global member companies on sustainability. Continued expressions of interest in sustainable forest management by forest and paper associations (and by customers of paper and paperboard products) suggest that related public procurement policies for paper and paperboard might become more common in the future. Production and consumption of pulp and paper declined in both the United States and Canada in 2005, but the production decline was much greater for Canada (-4.5%) than the United States (-0.8%).
Keywords
Commerce,
paperboard industry,
statistics,
market surveys,
supply and demand,
paper industry,
economic aspects,
wood-pulp industry,
commerce
Citation
Ince, Peter J. 2006. Pulp & paper markets cope with high energy prices and growth in Asia : markets for paper, paperboard and woodpulp, 2005-2006. Pulp & paper markets cope with high energy prices and growth in Asia : markets for paper, paperboard and woodpulp, 2005-2006
