Greens for Greens â„¢

[From: Stuff.co.nz]“

The Government is considering a crackdown on illegally harvested tropical timber, but the Green Party says it should move immediately against the harmful trade.
Forestry Minister Jim Anderton said yesterday new research showed illegal logging in other countries was costing New Zealand wood producers hundreds of millions of dollars in the global marketplace.
The study carried out for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry showed it depressed wood product prices, distorted international trade and cut New Zealand’s export log prices by about 10 percent – ultimately costing the industry about $266 million a year.
Mr Anderton said the Government would consult the industry, importers and retailers on a proposal to introduce new rules to ensure wood products sold in New Zealand were from legally logged timber.
The Government was also working internationally to back proposals to tackle global deforestation.

“Not only does illegal logging increase greenhouse gas emissions, but it also discourages sustainable forestry that helps slow climate change,” he said.
But Green Party co-leader Russel Norman said the Government needed to immediately ban products made from illegal logging.
The importation of wood furniture and parts had ballooned from about $90 million annually a few years ago to $236 million in 2006.
Much of that had come from China and South East Asian countries where illegal logging was rampant, he said.
“It has come at the expense not only of the New Zealand timber industry but also of wildlife, human rights of indigenous people and the health of the planet climate wise.”
One measure it could immediately take without consultation was the banning of Kwila timber imports until a regime of proving their source was in place.
Kwila was commonly sold in New Zealand as outdoor furniture and decking timber.
The season for large quantities of imports was just about to begin.
“The present government policy of `discouraging’ the importation of illegal wood means nothing when there is little or no real border control against it.”