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This study estimated paper and paperboard demand, pulpwood demand, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from production of paper and paperboard through 2050 in ten Asian countries. Under scenarios of varying population, gross domestic product (GDP), and per capita paper and paperboard demand, we analyzed the relationship between economic growth and consumption of paper and paperboard. We also evaluated options to reduce CO2 emissions through increased use of black liquor, waste paper pulping, and wood chemical pulping, as well as improvements in pulp, paper, and paperboard production technology. The quadratic curve model (inverted U) for per capita consumption of paper and paperboard against per capita GDP resulted in significant regression coefficients and higher adjusted R2 values than linear and logarithmic curve models for all uses of paper and paperboard. The estimated paper and paperboard demand in the ten countries in 2050 ranged from 112% (328%) to 156% (454%) of total 2005 consumption for the world (for the ten Asian countries). Of this estimated paper and paperboard demand, China accounted for about 50% and India 20%. The estimated pulpwood demand in these ten countries in 2050 ranged from 13% (48%) to 21% (84%) of global (ten country) 2005 wood supply potential. The introduction or increase of the use of black liquor, waste paper pulping, the combination of wood chemical pulping and black liquor, and technological improvements produced CO2 reductions of 24%, 5%, 32%, and 25%, respectively, compared to 2050 emission levels in the no-measure (unadjusted) option, assuming sustainable forest management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we introduce product demand uncertainty in a mixed oligopoly model and reexamine the nature of sub-game perfect Nash equilibrium (SPNE) when firms decide in the first stage whether to lead or follow in the subsequent quantity-setting game. In the non-stochastic setting, Pal (1998) demonstrated that when a public firm competes with a domestic private firm, multiple equilibria exist but the efficient equilibrium outcome is for the public firm to follow. Matsumura (2003a) proved that when the public firm's rival is a foreign private firm, leadership of the public firm is both efficient as well as SPN equilibrium. Our stochastic model shows that when the leader must commit to output before the resolution of uncertainty, multiple SPNE is possible. Whether the equilibrium outcome is public or private leadership hinges upon the degree of privatization and market volatility. More importantly, Pareto-inefficient simultaneous production is a likely SPNE. Our results are driven by the fact that the resolution of uncertainty enhances the profits of the follower firm in a manner that is well known in real option theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production and consumption of paper leads to emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Therefore, reducing the paper demand will lead to GHG emission reduction. Paper use for communication is responsible for GHG emissions of 121 Mton CO2-equivalents in Western Europe (1995). In this paper a baseline scenario is developed for Western Europe that forecasts a rise in communication paper consumption from 31 Mtons/year in 1995 to 53 Mtons in 2015. We show that several measures are available to reduce the demand for publication papers, e.g. thinner paper, efficient printing technologies, duplexing, and printing on demand (POD). The impact of these measures are determined by using a life cycle inventory approach whereby we focus on GHGs only. We estimate that it is technically possible to reduce paper demand in 2015 by 37% compared with the baseline scenario. This would correspond to a GHG emission reduction of 70 Mton CO2-equivalents We calculate that the intensity of use of publication papers may drop from 5.2 kg per $1000 GDP in 1995 to 3.4 kg per $1000 GDP in 20l5 (all in 1995$). The measures with the largest emission reduction potential are, lowering the basic weight of paper as well as POD. Assumptions on the market potential of POD are uncertain and have a large influence on the results. Further research should focus on determining the influence of increasing access to (digital) information on paper demand. In the analysis only material management improvements are taken into account, no improvements in energy efficiency or improved waste management practices are taken into account. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In Australia, tariffs and bounties form the major instruments of protection of manufacturing industries (IAC 1985). In the recent past, both tariffs and bounties were applied to the printing and writing paper industry. Recently, the bounties have been withdrawn. The main objective of the present study is to identify and quantify the factors which influence the size and growth of imports of printing and writing paper in the short run. More specifically, the factors determining the short run demand for and supply of printing and writing papers are considered, with emphasis on the relationship between domestic supply and imports. Domestic production of printing and writing paper is dominated by one producer, Associated Pulp and Paper Mills (APPM). However, two other local producers, who previously specialised in other types of paper, have recently increased their production of printing and writing paper as a result of the favourable outlook for these types of paper. Imports are a major competitive force in this market. The domestic market share of the printing and writing paper segment held by local producers was 58 per cent in 1975-76 and 50 per cent in 1984-85, but was as low as 58 per cent in 1981-82. Some of the imports, however, face no competition from domestic products. The identification of products which can and cannot be directly substituted for domestically produced papers is a difficult task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the continued consumption of paper. It was assumed that computer technology has the potential of reducing the use of paper. However, every country in the Western world uses more paper as of December 2005, on a per-capita basis, that it did ten years ago. Cognitive psychologists and ergonomics experts argued that paper persisted for very good reasons: when it comes to performing certain kinds of cognitive tasks, paper has many advantages over computers. The fundamental confusion about the role of paper makes people feel dismayed at the sight of a disorganized desk.