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News Release from: Forestry Commission | Subject: Forests and climate change
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 22 November 2007
Deal likely on forests and climate
change
Forests would form part of a future climate change agreement, says Phil Woolas, Environment Minister.
Recently back from a United Nations informal gathering ahead of a key meeting in Bali next month, Mr Woolas said he expected that the US, Brazil and China would agree to include forestry in the negotiations on an international climate change framework post 2012 Speaking on the first day of National Tree Week, he also said that the UK was one of the leading countries working on developing and trialling practical proposals for reducing emissions from deforestation
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 20 Nov 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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Deforestation (forest loss) is the world's second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, and this situation has to change if we are to rise to the global challenge of climate change, Mr Woolas told leading figures from government and the forestry, energy and environmental sectors at a conference in London.
The conference, entitled "Forests and climate change - a convenient truth?" was organised by the Forestry Commission to encourage action by the British forestry sector and others to tackle climate change.
Mr Woolas said the Government is tackling climate change on many fronts, adding, "Major policy developments are taking place in the international and national arenas".
Further reading
Talk To The Trees - The Regional Woodland Strategy
The Regional Woodland Strategy for the East of England is published in draft form and is available now for consultation.
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Woodland owners and managers have a new source of advice to help them combat the threat to trees posed by growing numbers of grey squirrels in Britain.
Furure For Scotland's Woods, People And Wildlife
The Scottish Executive wants more joined-up woodlands in Scotland.
"The IPCC final conclusions last weekend confirmed the need for urgent global climate action".
"We need to take further practical actions to deliver results on the ground".
"A key goal of UK policy is to make it part of the process in Bali".
"After intensive lobbying of key countries across the world, we now expect support from China, Brazil and the US that this should be the case".
"The UK forestry sector has a great deal to offer".
"It has vast experience in restoring forests, in expanding forest cover, in managing woodland sustainably, and in developing an internationally accredited certification system for woodland management".
"Achieving certification showed that the key to success will lie in bringing a number of sectors together.
It will again be essential to work across a range of sectors, and I'm pleased to see the range of experts and practitioners from so many sectors that have come together today to kick start this process".
"Tim Rollinson, Director-General of the Forestry Commission, said: "We know what needs to be done: the challenge is to turn that into practical reality, and today's conference is about starting a process for achieving action on the ground".
He said there are six key ways in which forestry can help meet the challenge of climate change:.
* protecting and managing the forests that we already have.
* reducing deforestation.
* restoring the world's forest cover.
* using more sustainably produced wood for energy.
* using more sustainably produced as a substitute for other materials.
* planning our forests so that they adapt to a changing climate.
"If we get this right and play our full part, we can help to solve this global problem," Mr Rollinson added.
"Morally, we have always had an obligation to protect and manage our forests for future generations.
We now have the power and the strongest possible imperative to do something".
""We need to work together now on plans for making this happen.".
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