Archived press release

Uk launches forest action plan

29 August 2002

Friends of the Earth sees the partnership as a constructive initiative which is prioritising the right issues. But it distracts from governments’ failure globally to effectively tackle the destruction and degradation of the world’s forests. The Rio Earth Summit failed in 1992 to agree a legally binding convention on forests, establishing instead the voluntary Forest Principles. Since then, the world has lost 10 per cent of its forests, and rainforest destruction has accelerated. An area of forest the size of England and Wales is being lost every year.

Governments have also failed to crack down on illegal logging, let alone unsustainable logging. Friends of the Earth estimates that 50 per cent of the tropical timber entering the European market each year comes from illegal sources. The UK currently tops the European league table for imports of illegally sourced tropical timber, with 60 per cent of imports derived from companies engaged in illegal logging, but this figure could be significantly reduced following the Partnership agreement.

Ed Matthew, Forests Campaigner for Friends of the Earth, said:
“Instead of a global binding agreement on forests, we have small scale, limited scope initiatives like this. The UK’s plan is welcome but does not make up for the desperate need for international legally binding agreements to save the worlds rapidly diminishing forests. If this doesn’t materialise at the Earth Summit, partnerships can only be interpreted as a distraction from achieving real progress at the global level.”

Friends of the Earth wants to see the UK Forest Partnership for Action back tougher and more ambitious targets. The environmental campaign organisation is calling on the Government to ensure that all timber be bought from sources certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) by 2007. All the UK’s commercial forests should also be certified to FSC standards by 2007. Friends of the Earth wants the UK Government to make a clear statement supporting EU legislation to make it illegal to import timber products from illegal sources.

Notes

[1] Friends of the Earth today publishes a guide on the partnership approach (PDF†), one of the most controversial elements of the Earth Summit. Copies are available from the press office.

†To view PDF files you will need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader. Visually impaired users can get extra help with these documents from access.adobe.com.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust