FORESTRY FOR THE FUTURE

This week I will be continuing to press for further regeneration in the constituency, but I will find time as well for a debate which I have called on illegal timber.  This is an issue which I have been working on consistently for years, and it is good to be able to say that we are finally seeing more real progress.

Buying the right timber is very important. Our forests are the jewel of the planet and their value cannot be calculated. Millions of people depend on them and they provide a rich habitat for wildlife.  They also act as a massive store of carbon – holding 50% more than exists in the atmosphere.

Unfortunately, humans have not taken proper care of this vast resource. 40% of the planet’s forest has already gone, and an area half the size of the UK is still cleared every year.  The problem is that this forestry is unsustainable and often illegal.  This illegal trade threatens peoples livelihoods, with billions of pounds of revenue lost each year.  It is also a serious threat to our environment; degradation of our forests creates 2 billion tonnes of emissions per year – which is more than all transport combined. It is also very serious for our wildlife and our biodiversity – for example 80% of orang-utan habitat has disappeared in the last 10 years.

But there are solutions, and I am pleased to say that our Government in the UK has taken a lead.  It has set up a system called CPET which helps those buying timber understand which of the many certification schemes guarantee that the wood is from both legal and sustainable sources.  With the help of this system, all wood used in central Government projects should now be legal and preferably sustainable.

The problem now is that this is truly an international issue which needs action across borders.  Our Government has done a lot to get other countries on board and is encouraging the European Union to set up Voluntary Partnership Agreements with countries which are finding it hard to provide legal timber.  Although slow in coming, these VPAs could lead on to legislation to ban illegal timber coming into the EU or into the UK.

Although this is obviously something that I and other Parliamentarians are calling for, the responsibility lies with each of us, especially for the moment.  If you are buying a timber product for yourself or your company, then make sure that it bears the FSC or PEFC logo. This will help ensure that the wood that you are buying contributes to a sustainable and prosperous future for our planet.

If you would like to know more about illegal timber and what I am doing to prevent this destructive trade, then please be in touch.