New Paper in Australia on Why Old Growth Logging Bad for Climate
9/2/99
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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: New paper on the why logging old growth forests is bad for
climate change
Source: Oz-Envirolink Mailing List at oz-envirolink@altnews.com.au
ACF Canberra"
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: September 2, 1999
The ACF discussion paper reveals that the logging and use of just one
of Australias old growth forest areas will emit a substantial
proportion of Australias Kyoto target. The paper estimates that the
clearing and breakdown of timber in the East Gippsland forests of
Victoria releases 8.7 million tonnes of CO2 annually equivalent to 2%
of Australias total emissions in 1990. This is equal to the annual
emissions of a coal-fired power station! Every year between 1993 and
1998 an average of 6,630 hectares was logged from forests in East
Gippsland, 93-95% of which was old-growth forest.
About 67,500 hectares (30%) of the forest is unprotected. If the
current rate of deforestation continues, all of the unprotected old-
growth will be down in 10 years and over 87 million tonnes of CO2
will be released into the atmosphere.
Unfortunately, there is no current national data on old-growth
stands, harvesting (deforestation) rates or CO2 emissions in
Australia. The paper argues that the logging industry should be
required to fully account for the release of greenhouse gases that
occurs when logging an old growth forest.
The 1997 International Climate Summit, held in Kyoto, Japan agreed on
a protocol allowing forest plantations to be considered as carbon
sinks. Although the Kyoto Protocol does not directly prohibit or
allow the replacement of old-growth forest with plantations or other
land-uses, imprecise wording and vague definitions introduces
potential loopholes. For instance, a loose definition of
%reforestation might encourage old-growth forest to be cleared for
new commercial plantations.
While there is strong argument for not logging old-growth forest,
this does not mean trading schemes should allow fossil-fuel emitters
to gain %credit for preserving these forests. Australia should not
have to sell %carbon pardons in order to protect the important
carbon stores in our old-growth forests. Protecting a forest does
nothing in the atmosphere to discount the impact of new fossil-fuel
emissions.
Full paper is available on ACFs website - www.acfonline.org.au
Sinking FeelingO can be found in the whats new section or Campaigns
/ Forests / briefing papers
National Liaison Office
Australian Conservation Foundation
canberra@afconline.org.au
02 - 6247 2472 (p)
02 - 6247 5779 (f)