Forestry & Development E-News

 www.forestryanddevelopment.com                                                                                                                  8 February 2007

Forestry & Development E-News is an electronic newsletter which reports and comments on regional and international developments in forestry.  If you do not wish to receive Forestry & Development E-News, please click here.

Greenpeace's methods in its global campaign to halt commercial forestry in Papua New Guinea do not stand up to scrutiny, argues Alan Oxley in a commentary ''Many see red over Greenpeace tactic'', which was published in the Australian Financial Review on 24 January 2007, and later reprinted in The National in PNG (available here).

Greenpeace recently adopted the International Non Governmental Organisations Accountability Charter (available here), which commits it to observe honesty, fair comment, responsible public criticism and high standards of behaviour.  The commentary notes Greenpeace's behaviour in its campaign against commercial forestry in PNG.

Greenpeace has claimed that tropical forests in PNG are on the verge of destruction despite the fact that almost two-thirds of PNG is covered by forest.  It has alleged that Rimbunan Hijau, the largest forestry company in PNG, has condoned rape and slavery; these claims don't stand up to scrutiny. Greenpeace has accused Rimbunan Hijau of devastating the Solomon Islands even though the company has never operated there.

This is further testimony that Greenpeace's policies disregard the economic damage they may cause to poor people in PNG.

UK accepts Australia's forestry standards for procurement

The UK Government has ruled that timber products produced according to the Australian Forest Standard (AFS) meet the requirements for legality and sustainability in the UK government's procurement policy.

The UK Government had initially ruled in 2004 that only timber endorsed under the Forest Steward Council (FSC) and Canadian Standard Association (CSA) certification schemes was acceptable.  This followed a lobbying campaign directed at European Governments by WWF and FSC.  The ruling resulted in complaints from the Australian Government, the Australian National Association of Forest Industries, and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC).  A subsequent review of all major forest certification schemes endorsed the Australian Forestry Standard.

The FSC's complaint against the Australian Forestry Standard was that no Green NGO sat on the consultative committee for the standard.  WWF was a member of the committee and withdrew, creating the vacancy.

The review (available here) also found that the Malaysian Timber Certification Council scheme (MTCC) was adequate in ensuring legality.

Rimbunan Hijau launches a major HIV/AIDS initiative in PNG

Rimbunan Hijau Group, the major commercial forestry operator in Papua New Guinea, has announced that it will contribute K600,000 (A$278,000) to the national fight against HIV/AIDS. The funds (granted through the RH Foundation) will be delivered over a three-year period. Rimbunan Hijau is one of four Platinum business sponsors of the newly established Papua New Guinea Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, with total grants of almost K4 million. The announcement was made by the company's Chairman, Tan Sri Tiong Hiew King, at the opening of a new publishing facility in Lae, PNG.  More details are available here.

WWF-UK estimates imports of illegal timber, but no evidence provided

A new report by WWF-UK ''Illegal Logging: Cut It Out!'' labels China, Japan and UK as the largest importers of illegal timber and wood products, with a combined total of 16.7 million cubic metres (round wood equivalent).  However, no evidence is provided for the claim, and it is unclear how the estimates were reached.  Papua New Guinea's 'illegal' exports to UK are estimated as insignificant (189 cubic metres); once again, no evidence is provided.

WWF-UK concludes by calling for an EU ban on imports of 'illegal timber'.  If implemented, a trade ban is likely to conflict with EU's obligations to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), which does not permit such trade vigilantism.  No country has yet adopted such a ban. 

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