Australia should do more to protect forests

Based on Australia’s statements at UN climate talks in Bonn it appears that Australia has not recognized the critical need to implement climate policies that include the protection of Australia’s and the Worlds forests, and reduce carbon emissions from logging and landclearing.

Australia made a statement at the climate change talks on REDD at the first formal meeting to discuss among other things a possible REDD mechanism.

REDD is a mechanism that should be designed to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries.

Instead of strongly asserting that REDD should be about protecting forests and avoiding deforestation, they focused their discussion of the scope of REDD on Afforestation and Reforestation and the enhancement of carbon stocks.

Put simply Australia is supporting plantation establishment instead of supporting actions to protect forests.

In the absence of safeguards, the consequence of this could be the loss of natural forests. This would result in driving more emissions of carbon into the atmosphere, instead of reducing emissions.

Their prioritization of planting trees rather than retaining and restoring natural forests also means that the money and the carbon credits will flow to plantation establishment not forest protection, thus driving that result .

We hope that Australia will reverse their appalling performance to date on this issue and seriously accept the role of protecting forests in making immediate deep cuts and securing a safe climate.