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10 Aug 2001
According to an analysis of data on illegal logging, as much as
60% of tropical timber sold in the UK is likely to be from illegal
sources, Friends of the Earth reveals today. This makes the UK the largest
importer of illegal tropical timber in Europe, ahead of France, Belgium,
Germany,Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Friends of the Earth
is calling for new European and UK laws to make it illegal to import
illegally sourced timber, together with stiff penalties for the corporations
involved in this trade.
Friends of the Earth has produced a European league table for illegal
tropical timber imports.Data shows the UK is likely to have imported
1 million cubic metres of illegal tropical timber in 1999, worth £140
million. The UK corporations responsible for trading and retailing tropical
timber are therefore likely to be responsible for illegally logging
130,000 hectares of wildlife rich rainforest every year.
The league table finds that on average 50% of the European
Union's tropical timber imports are likely to be illegal. In total,
the EU corporations responsible for the trade imported and sold five
million cubic metres of illegal tropical timber in 1999, with an import
value of £800 million. As a result the EU was responsible for illegally
logging 740,000 hectares of tropical forest.
The nature of the trade in illegally sourced material makes it impossible
to know precisely how much illegal timber is traded. Friends of the
Earth's league table has been calculated by comparing illegal logging
rates in five of the main supplier countries - Indonesia, Brazil,Malaysia,
Cameroon & Gabon - with tropical timber imports.
Illegal logging is one of the major causes of forest loss in tropical
countries. In Indonesia, the biggest supplier of tropical timber to
the UK, it is estimated by a UK Government sponsored study that 73%
of logging is illegal. Over 70% of Indonesia's forests have now been
damaged or destroyed, with 2 million hectares of forest being lost each
year. In Brazil, the second biggest supplier to the UK, a report from
the Brazilian Government found that 80 % of all logging in the only
be purchased if accompanied by credible, independent certification to
prove it is legal,such as provided by the Forest Stewardship Council.
Friends of the Earth campaigner Ed Matthew comments:
“Major corporations are making millions
from trading in illegally sourced tropical timber.This is having a devastating
impact on wildlife rich forests and on the people that depend on them.
Tony Blair has made repeated promises that the G8 will combat illegal
logging but the trade continues with the UK at the top of the European
list of offenders. Its long past time for media friendly sound bites,
it's time for tough legal sanctions to stop the felling.”
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Contact details:
Friends of the Earth
26-28 Underwood St.
LONDON
N1 7JQ
Tel: 020 7490 1555
Fax: 020 7490 0881
Web: www.foe.co.uk/feedback.html
Media team
