Carbon balance (removals and emissions), removals and stocks
Dimensão GRI
EnvironmentalCódigo GRI
305-1Código GRI
305-2Código GRI
305-3TCFD
Related IndicatorsCompromissos para renovar a vida
Carbon balance (CO₂): the difference between anthropogenic emissions and removals of greenhouse gases (GHGs) from the atmosphere over a given period.
Removals: carbon dioxide removals (CDR) refer to the process of removing CO₂ from the atmosphere, as defined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). ¹ These practices or technologies that remove CO₂ are often termed "negative emissions," as they counteract emissions. There are two main categories of CDR: one enhances natural processes that remove carbon, such as boosting uptake by trees, soil, or other “carbon sinks." The other employs chemical methods, like capturing CO₂ directly from ambient air for storage elsewhere. ²
Afforestation (planting new trees in areas without forests) and reforestation (replanting trees in areas where forests have been converted) are also considered forms of CDR because they increase natural CO₂ sinks. ³
The IPCC warned in its climate change mitigation report⁴ that avoiding a temperature increase above 1.5 °C will be impossible without removing carbon dioxide. These removals can compensate for GHG emissions from sectors that cannot fully decarbonize or will take a long time to do so.
Carbon stock: According to the IPCC, this is the amount of carbon stored in a reservoir at a specific moment. Examples include oceans, soil, and forests.
The carbon stored in a reservoir can fluctuate based on the balance between carbon inputs and outputs. If carbon losses exceed gains, the stock decreases, turning the reservoir into a source of atmospheric emissions. Conversely, when inputs exceed losses, the reservoir acts as a carbon sink.
Carbon Balance (Removals and Emissions), Removals, and Carbon Stocks at Suzano
Suzano calculates its carbon balance by subtracting the net land use emissions and removals from the total Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions⁹.
Carbon removals happen when forest biomass increase, for instance, when a single tree is planted in a pasture or when an existing area is expanded from 500 to 600 hectares.
Therefore, an increase in biomass volume in each Suzano area is regarded as a “direct removal due to land-use change,” corresponding to a carbon increment. Conversely, when biomass volume decreases, such as during harvest periods, related carbon loss is classified as a “direct emission due to land-use change.”
The company’s carbon stock represents the net balance between all direct emissions and land use removals in forested areas within a specific year, effectively serving as an annual snapshot of the carbon stored in its natural reservoirs.
Suzano, as a responsible Forest Stewardship company, organizes its eucalyptus cultivation in a mosaic of planting, harvesting, and native forest conservation. This arrangement ensures a stable carbon stock, with conservation zones either maintaining or increasing their carbon absorption, while most eucalyptus areas are populated with growing seedlings. CO₂ removal from environmental restoration and High Conservation Value Areas (HCVAs) is included in the overall removal figures for native vegetation regions.
Regarding planted forest areas, Suzano's cultivation cycle lasts about seven years. This means only one-seventh of these areas is being harvested at any given time. The remaining six-sevenths of the planted forests sequester carbon to varying degrees over time, helping maintain this carbon stock in the environment.
Calculation Methodology
The current approach for estimating carbon removals in eucalyptus plantations aligns with international standards and follows IPCC guidelines. Carbon removals are calculated using the “stock change method,” as outlined in the IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (Volume 4, Chapter 4).⁵
Removals are calculated using data from the Cadastral Inventory of plantations that are at least 2 years old. Therefore, the 2025 carbon removals represent biomass growth up to 2023 and biomass decreases due to harvests in 2025. Plantings from 2024 and 2025 will only be included in the Carbon Stock and Removal Inventory starting in 2026 and 2027, respectively.
Thus, GHG removals by planted forests are determined using the stock change method following IPCC guidelines. To estimate the carbon stock, which increases as vegetation grows and decreases when harvested, Suzano relies on data from its forest registry database. This database includes details on areas in hectares, broken down by age and clone, as well as biomass density and volume for each age class. Using this information, the company applies conversion factors recognized by the IPCC (C to CO₂), along with above- and below-ground biomass ratio factors and biomass expansion factors (BEF), to calculate the carbon stocks.
For conservation and restoration areas, the gain-loss method is employed to estimate carbon removal volumes, in line with IPCC guidelines. This approach combines data from the company’s forest registry with carbon stock factors based on phytophysiognomy, biome, and successional stage (forest maturity).
All these factors are based on the most reputable bibliographic sources in Brazil and the IPCC itself.
GHG Protocol Land Sector and Removals Guidance and SBTi FLAG
The GHG Protocol, developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), provides standards and guidelines for quantifying and controlling GHG emissions across public and private sectors, including their value chains and mitigation efforts.
Since 2020, the GHG Protocol has been creating the Land Sector and Removals Guidance⁶ to assist companies in accounting for and reporting their GHG emissions and removals related to land management, land-use change, biogenic products, carbon dioxide removal technologies, and related activities within GHG inventories, following the Corporate Standard and Scope 3 Standard.
Building on its extensive experience in forest inventories and carbon emissions and removals inventories, Suzano contributed to the development of this new Guidance as a member of the Advisory Committee. They engaged in sector-specific technical discussions and took part in public consultations organized by the GHG Protocol.
In 2023, the company took part in the pilot testing phase of the Guidance and provided feedback on the proposed guidelines and calculation methods. It conducted an assessment using its own data, involving experts from across the company. After the final version of the Guidance is published, Suzano will review its internal procedures for tracking carbon emissions and removals in accordance with the new GHG Protocol guidelines and make updates as needed.
The Guidance is highly significant for the company because its methodology is adopted by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) in its Forest, Land Use, and Agriculture (FLAG) framework⁷. This allows companies in land-intensive sectors to establish science-based targets that encompass reductions in forest emissions, land-use change (LULUCF, from the English land use, land-use change, and forestry), and carbon removals.
In 2023, the SBTi announced that companies in the agriculture and forestry sectors aiming to submit or update fossil emissions reduction targets must also provide a target for LULUCF emissions reductions and removals, following the FLAG Guidance and the pilot GHG Protocol Land Sector and Removals Guidance. Consistent with its 2021 commitment to the Business Ambition for 1.5°C and SBTi initiatives, Suzano submitted its CO₂ emissions reduction and removal targets for validation, in line with SBTi's methodologies and guidelines. The company included supporting documents to aid the SBTi’s analysis and highlight discrepancies found in calculations using the FLAG tool for the forest products and paper sectors.
In December 2023, the SBTi announced a temporary suspension of the FLAG methodology for the forest products and paper sectors, making it unavailable for use at that time. In October 2024, the SBTi provided an update regarding the suspension of the Timber and Wood Fiber Pathway.
In 2025, we made considerable progress in aligning with global standards for emissions and removals accounting. We increased our involvement in technical discussions about the GHG Protocol Land Sector and Removals Guidance, as well as the revision of the SBTi FLAG. The company played an active role in refining methods related to land use, forests, and agriculture, drawing on insights from the pilot phase, internal reviews, and sector-specific dialogues.
These efforts strengthen Suzano’s readiness for 2026, when the finalized Guidance will be released and will include the new FLAG methodology. Next year, we will update our inventories, processes, and internal models to align with the revised guidelines. Additionally, we will prepare to submit our FLAG target while reviewing the SBTi’s short-term targets, ensuring our climate commitments are based on the best science and adhere to internationally recognized methodologies.
Relationship Between Gross Emissions and Net Removals
Suzano’s carbon balance is based on the concept of net emissions, which accounts for both carbon emissions and removals.
Gross Emissions include all greenhouse gases released by the company’s activities across Scopes 1, 2, and 3, following GHG Protocol standards.
Net Removals refer to the amount of carbon extracted from the atmosphere by the company’s forested areas, which includes planted forests, native vegetation, and conservation zones. The calculation adheres to international standards, such as the IPCC Guidelines, as explained earlier.
The relationship (balance) between these two components is given by the following formula:
Net Emissions = Gross Emissions (Scopes 1, 2, and 3) - Net Removals.
The Balance indicator (removals and emissions) reflects Suzano’s real impact on the climate by accounting for emissions, removals, and carbon stocks. It emphasizes the company’s role in climate change mitigation.
The tables below present the following information:
- Carbon balance (removals and emissions);
- Carbon removal;
- Carbon stock.
Notes:
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- Scope 3 categories measured: Purchased goods and services (partial scope referring to the transportation of inputs); 2. Upstream transportation and distribution; 3. Downstream transportation and distribution; 4. Employee displacement; 5. Waste; and 6. Air travel and business
Carbon balance (removals and emissions)¹
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | |
|
Scope 1 emissions |
2.155.102,69 |
2.328.335,53 |
2.378.304,09 |
2.421.049,08 |
2.283.987,65 |
2.275.704,27 |
|
Scope 2 emissions |
59.531,90 |
137.822,64 |
49.216,75 |
49.237,12 |
87.000,59 |
64.193,40 |
|
Scope 3² emissions |
1.568.893,44 |
1.842.093,64 |
1.737.960,57 |
1.643.791,84 |
1.546.971,50 |
1.712.055,46 |
|
Total emissions |
3.783.528,03 |
4.308.251,81 |
4.165.481,41 |
4.114.078,04 |
3.917.959,74 |
4.051.953,13 |
|
Carbon credits traded³ |
0,00 |
0,00 |
0,00 |
25.139,00 |
19.580,00 |
109.281,00 |
|
Balance between land use emissions and removals |
-18.983.839,64 |
-13.204.509,36 |
-2.080.751,67 |
-9.238.526,38 |
-6.219.533,72 |
-18.077.704,66 |
|
Total balance (emissions - removals) |
-15.200.311,61 |
-8.896.257,55 |
2.084.729,74 |
-5.099.309,34 |
-2.281.993,98 |
-13.916.470,53 |
- This indicator includes Suzano’s emissions, excluding those of Suzano Packaging, which was acquired in October 2024. For more details, see the indicators “Direct greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 1), by category and type” and “Other indirect greenhouse gas emissions (Scope 3), by category.”
- For consistency with the total balance sheet calculation methodology, Suzano considers certain partially measured Scope 3 categories: Purchased goods and services (including transportation of inputs), upstream transportation and distribution, downstream transportation and distribution, employee commuting, waste, and air and business travel.
- From 2023 onward, Suzano includes traded carbon credits in its total balance.
Carbon removal
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suzano - planted forests | Suzano - native vegetation | Suzano – total | Suzano - planted forests | Suzano - native vegetation | Suzano – total | Suzano - planted forests | Suzano - native vegetation | Suzano – total | Suzano S.A. - planted forests | Suzano S.A. - native vegetation | Suzano S.A. – total | Suzano S.A. - planted forests | Suzano S.A. - native vegetation | Suzano S.A. – total | Suzano S.A. - planted forests | Suzano S.A. - native vegetation | Suzano S.A. – total | |
| tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | ||
|
Biogenic emissions by land use |
33.063.426,44 |
n/a |
33.063.426,44 |
35.504.588,97 |
n/a |
35.504.588,97 |
44.887.590,43 |
n/a |
44.887.590,43 |
44.246.396,10 |
n/a |
44.246.396,10 |
45.924.361,58 |
n/a |
45.924.361,58 |
45.703.158,95 |
n/a |
45.703.158,95 |
|
Biogenic removals by land use |
-48.231.510,96 |
-3.815.755,12 |
-52.047.266,08 |
-44.824.539,53 |
-3.884.558,80 |
-48.709.098,33 |
-43.067.325,76 |
-3.901.016,34 |
-46.968.342,10 |
-49.441.544,13 |
-4.043.378,36 |
-53.484.922,48 |
-47.180.301,46 |
-4.963.593,84 |
-52.143.895,30 |
-58.885.140,06 |
-4.895.723,06 |
-63.780.863,61 |
|
Balance between emissions and removals from land use |
-15.205.266,10 |
-3.815.755,12 |
-18.983.839,64 |
-9.319.950,57 |
-3.884.558,80 |
-13.204.509,37 |
1.820.264,67 |
-3.901.016,34 |
-2.080.751,67 |
-5.195.148,03 |
-4.043.378,36 |
-9.238.526,38 |
-1.255.939,88 |
-4.963.593,84 |
-6.219.533,72 |
-13.181.981,61 |
-4.895.723,06 |
-18.077.704,66 |
Carbon Stocks¹
| 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | tCO₂e | |
|
Suzano S.A. - planted forests |
164.799.325,93 |
170.785.672,50 |
160.351.112,79 |
164.037.657,51 |
168.129.354,80 |
1.780.004.621,58 |
|
Suzano S.A. - native vegetation |
150.992.295,12 |
165.973.008,90 |
150.992.295,12 |
171.492.435,98 |
154.091.259,83 |
151.077.257,64 |
|
Suzano S.A. – total |
315.791.621,05 |
336.758.681,41 |
315.791.621,05 |
335.530.093,49 |
322.220.614,63 |
329.081.879,22 |
Informações complementares
Carbon balance
The carbon balance accounts for emissions and removals from Suzano’s operations. Details on greenhouse gas emissions are available under the indicator “Greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and methodology”. In 2025, consistent with historical trends, the company achieved a negative carbon balance, meaning that our forestry operations removed more carbon from the atmosphere than was emitted across the company’s operational chain (partial Scope 3), thereby contributing positively to mitigating the global effects of climate change.
Carbon removals
In 2025, the total removals of CO₂ (both biogenic and anthropogenic) reached 63 million tons, while emissions totaled 45 million tons, resulting in a net removal of 18 million tons. This balance accounts for plantations (2 years or older), forest growth, harvesting, and forest management within that year. Suzano’s removal figures include newly established plantations and the maintenance of existing forests, supporting the expansion of the forest base to enhance resilience and ensure a long-term wood supply, in line with its business strategy.
Carbon Stock
In 2025, there was a rise in the carbon stock of the eligible planted areas based on the calculation methodology. As our forest base grows with the expansion of our forests, this stock guarantees a lasting carbon reserve throughout Suzano’s areas.
In 2025, a decrease in carbon stock in native vegetation was observed compared to the previous year. This mainly resulted from a reduced eligible area used in calculations, along with methodological improvements in the quantification process.
These enhancements included refining criteria for classifying, mapping, and validating native areas, with increased technical rigor in defining phytophysiognomies and successional stages. This ensured greater consistency, transparency, and comparability with previous data. Additionally, both emissions and removals for 2025 were verified by an independent third party.
Suzano will persist with its forest expansion efforts aligned with its strategic focus on the pulp and bioproducts market and its ecological conservation and restoration initiatives. This approach will lead to higher removals over the years, supporting progress towards the Commitment to Renew Life in this sector.