The Guardian 27 February, 2008
"Delay Tassie wood supply deal"
The Tasmanian Greens last week welcomed Premier Paul Lennon’s belated acknowledgement that further work needs to be done on the contribution of the Tasmanian forest industry to climate change, but believe the crucial test will be whether he is prepared to take action, which is doubtful given his past willingness to ignore the environmental impacts of forestry in Tasmania.
Greens leader Peg Putt MP called for a delay to signing up any native forest wood supply for Gunns’ pulp mill until after work on the recommendations of the Garnaut report is completed, as forests could be worth more as carbon banks than as pulp in the emerging carbon credits scenario.
Ms Putt pointed out that there was enough scientific evidence already that the best way to reduce emissions from the forest sector is to stop logging old growth and protect it, and that the Bali Climate Change Roadmap had identified forest destruction and degradation (includes logging) as a major contributor to climate change overlooked in the Kyoto convention.
"Finally Paul Lennon has made the welcome acknowledgement that forestry is a big climate change issue for Tasmania. However, the crucial test will be his willingness to take action, which is doubtful given his propensity to ignore the environmental impacts of the forest industry," Ms Putt said.
"If the Premier is serious he will hold off on a wood supply agreement for the pulp mill until the Garnaut study is complete, as the forest could be worth more as carbon banks than as pulp, and dollars could flow to Tasmania for protecting native forests from logging."
She said the work to compare the value of the forests as a carbon sink compared to their value as a source of pulpwood should already have been done as part of government deliberations over a pulp mill wood supply deal and that the best way to reduce emissions from the forest sector is to stop logging old growth and protect the forests and the carbon in them by including them in the Tasmanian reserve system, and the science to support this is already available.
"The wording of Mr Lennon’s media statement raises the important question of whether he intends a look at the negative impacts of forestry, which is a source of major carbon emissions. As his statement says, he has simply asked to know how forestry can address climate change, and this is reminiscent of his seeking a benefits study of the pulp mill without studying the adverse effects.
"Garnaut’s work will need to include an analysis of the actual carbon contained in the Tasmanian forest estate, rather than the questionable figures currently used by the forest industry that are based on assessments of commercial log volumes, as these in no way equate to the actual carbon in all trees, understorey, forest litter and soils.
"Similarly, an analysis of the carbon released by the massive autumn forestry fires must be done," Ms Putt concluded.