world news - 02.02.2010
Australia urged to ban illegal logging
The European Commission has cast doubt on research commissioned by
the Australian government that questions the need for laws to block
illegally logged timber from entering the country. Federal
government research said a strict ban on illegal timber would be costly
for consumers and business, and would mean Australia acting
unilaterally. The report by the Centre for International
Economics concluded that an Australian ban would achieve little to
influence the situation globally. However, the EUquestioned estimates made in the research on the value of illegal
timber imports into Australia and said furniture had not been included. ''The
assumption that Australia act unilaterally is rather contentious. Not
only the EU and US but many other countries are developing measures to
deal with illegally harvested timber,” the EU said. A 2005 study
found that illegally logged timber represented about 10% of all timber
imported into Australia. Timber is harvested from protected areas, such
as national parks and nature reserves in countries including Indonesia,
Papua New Guinea and China. The Australian government has now hired a consultant to develop an assessment methodology to conduct further research.
See also:
- — Furniture industry on the up again in Europe
- — European parquet flooring sales declined 15% in 2009
- — Softwood lumber sales in France largely stable at the outset of 2010
- — Export of timber to France is a Scots first
- — Why the Wood Pellet Industry Is Growing