According to the United Nations, Latin America will be one of the most affected regions of climate change. Therefore, the Paris Agreement has set the goal to reduce the global warming significantly to maximum 1.5 °C. Also Central Banks can contribute to reduce the impact of climate change with all the levers they have. 

But which ways are there to reduce the environmental impact of cash? And what exactly is a sustainable banknote? It all starts with the right choice of substrate – renewable, durable and secure, because a sustainable banknote is not only sustainable by a long durability. Also the amount of natural materials that regrow within a short period of time needs to be considered in order to decrease its environmental impact. 

And in the end? Fiber based banknotes can be decomposed and used as valuable raw material e.g. in the paper industry by Banknote Fiber Extraction. With this technology, central banks help saving tons of fresh resources while giving fully destroyed banknotes multiple further lives. And most important: it doesn\`t remain a plastic product which might end up as ocean plastic.