Feature story - September 7, 2008
Formal discussions between Greenpeace andCanada's largest logging company AbitibiBowater ended today following a meeting in a Toronto hotel between Greenpeace representatives and company CEO David J. Paterson. AbitibiBowater expressed an unwillingness to curbdestructive logging in sensitive areas of the Boreal Forest.
Individual clearcuts stretch across as many as 10,807 hectares (26,693 acres).
"We are saddened that AbitibiBowater has chosen to blame Greenpeace forthe breakdown in talks when, in reality, the jointly approved mediatoradjourned our dialogue because of lack of agreement," said Richard Brooks,Greenpeace's Forest Coordinator. "The talks may have been more fruitful hadAbitibiBowater focused more on seeking solutions to Boreal Forest destructionand less on appointing blame and making excuses for their performance and lackof action."
With the support of major customers of AbitibiBowater, Greenpeaceinitiated a dialogue with Abitibi-Consolidated and subsequently AbitibiBowaterover 10 months ago. The goal of these discussions was to find reasonable andfair measures to protect those areas of the Boreal Forest under AbitibiBowatermanagement. These measures were to include a suspension of logging inecologically sensitive intact forest areas while maintaining suitable andadequate wood supply to AbitibiBowater mills. An independent moderator wasappointed to facilitate the discussions.
"It is now clear that AbitibiBowater came seeking solutions to theirpublic relations problem, rather than seeking solutions to ongoing destructionof the Boreal Forest," said Bruce Cox, Executive Director of Greenpeace."While Greenpeace prefers a dialogue with industry, we are always aware of therisk of companies intentionally dragging their feet in negotiations while theycarry on business as usual."
During the several months of discussions, AbitibiBowater did not curtaillogging operations in intact forests. Currently logging is planned in majorintact forest areas in Ontario and Quebec. Less than 35 per cent ofAbitibiBowater's forestlands remain intact. Intact forests are key habitatsfor endangered species such as woodland caribou and help mitigate the impactsof climate change by storing more carbon than fragmented forests.
"AbitibiBowater's actions speak louder than words," added Cox."Unfortunately for them, a lack of action will equate to further losses ofmajor contracts with paper and wood purchasers."
Greenpeace continues to communicate concerns over AbitibiBowater'slogging of intact forests and habitat of threatened woodland caribou to majorEuropean and North American customers.