Apr 28, 2008. /Lesprom.com/. Metsaliitto Group is actively working to mitigate climate change, primarily through the development of its own operations. Metsäliitto Group's Climate Programme was launched to spearhead the efforts. The Climate Programme collects information about the climate impacts of the Group and its business areas and defines the goals and the ways to reduce these impacts. Shouldering responsibility in climate issues is important also in terms of Metsäliitto Group's competitiveness; many measures to mitigate climate change have a positive impact on profitability. Metsäliitto Group aims to curb climate change by continuously improving its energy efficiency, by processing renewable wood raw material, by promoting the production and use of bioenergy, and by studying the possibilities to use solutions that mean lower emissions and more effective use of resources in its operations. Metsäliitto Group started investing more systematically in boosting energy efficiency with the launch of the two-year Energy Efficiency Optimisation (EEO) project in 2006. Now the work will continue with the implementation of the Energy Efficiency System (EES). Additionally, the Group is investing in increasing the share of emissions-free energy in its total energy consumption, and in raising its energy self-sufficiency. The energy production capacity increases are targeting combined heat and power (CHP) plants, which have a high efficiency ratio. Metsaliitto Group's most important raw material is renewable wood, which is used to process wood products, cardboard, paper and biofuels. Acquiring wood raw material is based on sustainable forestry. Sustainably managed forests absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The carbon absorbed in the wood material is also stored in wood-based products. Wood industry products with a long usable life are particularly important in terms of storing carbon. Wood raw material is used responsibly, and, by investing in materials efficiency, for example, the aim is for the most economical and sustainable production of end products as possible.