Action on illegal logging has been one of the centrepiece
environmental priorities of the UK government in the lead-up to the
meeting of G8 leaders at Gleneagles in July. Measures proposed by
the UK are currently under discussion at the EU level, and include
legislative action to prevent imports of illegal timber; the use of
government procurement policies to tackle illegal logging; and
support for governance reform in timber producing countries.
(2)
Documents revealed on BBC Newsnight last night, and obtained by
Greenpeace, show that these measures are at risk from the US
administration, who will oppose tangible measures to stop the flow
of illegal logging. (3)
The confidential document from March 2005, states:
* US objectives are to "avoid commitments to ineffective or
unworkable actions, especially on the demand side."
* US strategy towards Europe is stated as:"(the) US will work
with Canada to hold back procurement and other unacceptable
demand-side actions, and with Russia and Japan to dissuade them
from supporting the UK."
* "The 3 proposed UK headlines should be deleted...Demand side
actions involving new import or procurement
regulations/restrictions are unacceptable and should not be
high-lighted."
"What the US is doing is a slap in the face of the European
Union. Rather than upholding the sanctity of free trade, George
Bush should stop helping corrupt timber barons, politicians and
logging companies destroy the world's remaining ancient forests,"
said Pat Venditti, Greenpeace UK Forest Campaigner. "The US should
join the UK and EU by showing the political will to develop
procurement and legislative measures to address illegal and
unsustainable logging."
At the 1998 G8 ministerial in Birmingham in 1998, G8 governments
adopted an 'Action Programme on Forests' which included commitments
to address the growth in the illegal trade. Seven years on, not one
G8 member state has adopted legislation that would prohibit imports
of illegally logged timber products.
In 2003, the US announced the President's Initiative Against
Illegal Logging promising to 'fight corruption in the forest
sector', and to 'protect forests and the livelihoods that depend
upon them.' Despite the US being a major importer of illegally
logged timber products, minimal effort has been made to prevent
such products going into the country.
Notes: 1- G8 Environment and Development Ministers will be meeting at the Breadsall Priory, Derbyshire on March 17th and 18th to discuss illegal logging, climate change and Africa. The European Union will be represented as observers at the meeting by the Luxembourg Minister for the Environment and the European Commissioners for Environment and Development. 2- More information on proposed actions on illegal logging can be found at www.illegal-logging.info3- Document is available as PDF from Greenpeace.