item 7 . management 2019s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations executive summary international paper 2019s operating results in 2007 bene- fited from significantly higher paper and packaging price realizations . sales volumes were slightly high- er , with growth in overseas markets partially offset by lower volumes in north america as we continued to balance our production with our customers 2019 demand . operationally , our pulp and paper and containerboard mills ran very well in 2007 . however , input costs for wood , energy and transportation costs were all well above 2006 levels . in our forest products business , earnings decreased 31% ( 31 % ) reflect- ing a sharp decline in harvest income and a smaller drop in forestland and real estate sales , both reflect- ing our forestland divestitures in 2006 . interest expense decreased over 40% ( 40 % ) , principally due to lower debt balances and interest rates from debt repayments and refinancings . looking forward to the first quarter of 2008 , we expect demand for north american printing papers and packaging to remain steady . however , if the economic downturn in 2008 is greater than expected , this could have a negative impact on sales volumes and earnings . some slight increases in paper and packaging price realizations are expected as we implement our announced price increases . however , first quarter earnings will reflect increased planned maintenance expenses and continued escalation of wood , energy and transportation costs . as a result , excluding the impact of projected reduced earnings from land sales and the addition of equity earnings contributions from our recent investment in ilim holding s.a . in russia , we expect 2008 first-quarter earnings to be lower than in the 2007 fourth quarter . results of operations industry segment operating profits are used by inter- national paper 2019s management to measure the earn- ings performance of its businesses . management believes that this measure allows a better under- standing of trends in costs , operating efficiencies , prices and volumes . industry segment operating profits are defined as earnings before taxes and minority interest , interest expense , corporate items and corporate special items . industry segment oper- ating profits are defined by the securities and exchange commission as a non-gaap financial measure , and are not gaap alternatives to net earn- ings or any other operating measure prescribed by accounting principles generally accepted in the united states . international paper operates in six segments : print- ing papers , industrial packaging , consumer pack- aging , distribution , forest products , and specialty businesses and other . the following table shows the components of net earnings for each of the last three years : in millions 2007 2006 2005 .

2007: industry segment operating profits: 2423
corporate items net: -732
corporate special items*: 241
interest expense net: -297
minority interest: -5
income tax benefit ( provision ): -415
discontinued operations: -47
net earnings: 1168
2006: industry segment operating profits: 2074
corporate items net: -746
corporate special items*: 2373
interest expense net: -521
minority interest: -9
income tax benefit ( provision ): -1889
discontinued operations: -232
net earnings: 1050
2005: industry segment operating profits: 1622
corporate items net: -607
corporate special items*: -134
interest expense net: -595
minority interest: -9
income tax benefit ( provision ): 407
discontinued operations: 416
net earnings: 1100

* corporate special items include restructuring and other charg- es , net ( gains ) losses on sales and impairments of businesses , gains on transformation plan forestland sales , goodwill impairment charges , insurance recoveries and reversals of reserves no longer required . industry segment operating profits of $ 2.4 billion were $ 349 million higher in 2007 than in 2006 due principally to the benefits from higher average price realizations ( $ 461 million ) , the net impact of cost reduction initiatives , improved operating perform- ance and a more favorable mix of products sold ( $ 304 million ) , higher sales volumes ( $ 17 million ) , lower special item costs ( $ 115 million ) and other items ( $ 4 million ) . these benefits more than offset the impacts of higher energy , raw material and freight costs ( $ 205 million ) , higher costs for planned mill maintenance outages ( $ 48 million ) , lower earn- ings from land sales ( $ 101 million ) , costs at the pensacola mill associated with the conversion of a machine to the production of linerboard ( $ 52 million ) and reduced earnings due to net acquisitions and divestitures ( $ 146 million ) . segment operating profit ( in millions ) $ 2074 ( $ 205 ) ( $ 48 ) $ 17 ( $ 244 ) $ 2423$ 4 ( $ 52 ) ( $ 101 ) $ 461 $ 1000 $ 1500 $ 2000 $ 2500 $ 3000 .

Questions:
what was the change in industry segment operating profits from 2006 to 2007, in millions?
and what were the total industry segment operating profits in 2006, also in millions?
how much does that change represent in relation to this 2006 total, in percentage?

Answers:
349
2074
17%