Federal politicians from all sides of the political spectrum have recognised the enormous potential of our renewable forest industries to help meet Australia’s emissions reduction targets, paving the way for real action from Government to deliver more trees in the ground, sequester more carbon, and create new manufacturing jobs – a win-win for the environment and the economy.
Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA), Mr Ross Hampton said today that both sides of federal politics have responded positively to AFPA’s launch of “18 by 2030: Forest industries help tackle Australia’s climate change challenge” this week, with a better appreciation and understanding of what Australia’s forest industries need, to achieve the “18 by 2030” goal.
“There is a sense that the message about our forest industries being the most sustainable and renewable industries in the country is resonating more than ever amongst MPs at the federal level,” Mr Hampton said.
“It’s clear there is a willingness to help make forest industries thrive into the future and be part of Australia’s climate change challenge – the next step must be meaningful policy action,” Mr Hampton said.
Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry the Hon Joel Fitzgibbon said following the launch:
“We need government guidance, we need 400,000 hectares of plantations, and government needs to provide the incentives” – The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon.
(See video with Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy the Hon Mark Butler, Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, the Hon Joel Fitzgibbon, and AFPA Chair Greg McCormack here).
“That’s a very powerful endorsement from the Federal Labor Opposition,” Mr Hampton said.
“It’s no wonder, given that Australia’s current plantation estate stores an estimated 171 million tonnes of carbon with a further 103 million tonnes of carbon being stored in wood and wood products in service. Furthermore, on top of the 18 megatonnes of CO2e from 2030, forest industries will aim to remove or store 115 megatonnes of CO2e over the period from 2019 to 2030.
“I look forward to continuing to push the case with both the Coalition Government and Federal Labor Opposition to make sure that our policy needs, like getting 400,000 hectares of new plantations in the ground, are committed to by both sides of politics as we head towards another federal election,” Mr Hampton concluded.
Forestry’s_climate_change_potential_captures_Parliament’s_attention