Letter to Carter: On the NZ government’s inaction to illegal logging

30 January, 2010

Hon Mr David Carter,

Minister of Forests,

Parliament Buildings,

Wellington

Dear Minister Carter,

The Indonesia Human Rights Committee and Rainforest Action are shocked at the limp measures included in the Government’s recently announced policy to address illegal logging.

We believe that the policy measures are weak, non-specific and about talking rather than taking action. Many of the proposals are also dependent on the uncertain prospect that other countries will take the lead.   These soft measures are unlikely to have any impact on the regional problem of rampant illegal and unsustainable logging of precious old growth forests.  Nor will they stem the steady stream of illegal tropical hardwood imports into this country.

We fully agree with Government’s assessment that the key species of concern with respect to illegal logging practice is kwila (also known as merbau). However we strongly disagree that an approach which relies on a voluntary code of practice on the part of New Zealand importers and retailers will be effective.

While we are pleased that the Government supports the campaign for kwila to be listed on Appendix 11 of the Convention on Internationally Endangered Species (CITES) we urge that New Zealand take the initiative to bring this about rather than simply support the work of other countries and NGOs.

As you know, we have been researching and campaigning on this issue for several years, liaising with other environmental groups such as Greenpeace. We have developed a strategy of dialogue and demonstrations aimed at those retailers that continue to sell kwila outdoor furniture and kwila decking. While it is commendable that some furniture retailers have ceased to stock kwila products this is far from the complete answer.

Kwila decking continues to be sold by several major timber chains and is on offer at cheaper prices on the internet on sites such as Trade Me.  Some furniture retailers sell products which have no legality documentation or grossly inadequate documentation which does not include any independent third party certification of legality.

We are particularly concerned because we have found that most of the kwila products on sale in Auckland are sourced from Indonesian controlled West Papua.  West Papua and its neighbour Papua New Guinea hold the Asia Pacific region’s last significant tracts of undisturbed and unique rainforest.

The exploitation of West Papua’s forest is escalating because of the lure of immediate profits to be made by clearing out the forests and replanting with palm oil plants.

Late last year, a report from environmental groups Environment Investigation Agency (UK) and Telepak (Indonesia) revealed in their joint report  ”Up for Grabs” that  five million hectares of  land in West Papua are being targeted for deforestation by powerful  agro-industrial companies. These companies use all kinds of devious tactics to get the local people to sign contracts, all for the sake of lucrative palm oil plantations.  Often the clearing for new plantations takes place without any permits.

P.T. Sinar Mas, for example, is accused by Greenpeace as being responsible for illegal land clearing and for irreversible damage to forests and peatlands in West Papua as well as Kalimantan and Riau.  Unilever has suspended its purchases of palm oil from Sinar Mas in response to these credible claims.

In West Papua the logging industry is closely intertwined with the security forces. Local community groups in West Papua are trying to stop the destruction of their traditional land and their all important food basket, but they are isolated, lack resources and are subject to military intimidation.   It is estimated that 80% of the logging in West Papua is conducted illegally.

The respected international NGO Human Rights Watch (www.hrw.org ) has just published a new report “Indonesia: Timber Corruption’s High Costs”  This report shows that corruption in  Indonesia’s forestry industry costs the Indonesian government US$2 billion  annually taking money away from essential spending on economic and social needs. The extent of corruption, conflicts of interest and poor oversight in this industry strongly suggest that there will be major difficulties for any carbon trading or REDD schemes in Indonesia.

The practice of illegal and unsustainable logging is driven by demand from wealthy countries where some consumers can afford attractive leisure products.  But tropical timber imports come at the expense of local industry and the livelihoods of workers.   A 2007 report commissioned by the Government estimated that illegal logging cost the forest industry NZ $266 million annually in lost revenue.

Both the European Union and the United Stares have begun to address this problem by regulation.  We therefore call on Government to adopt a strong regulatory approach which would prevent the sale of kwila and all illegally and unsustainably logged tropical woods.

Whether the ban is imposed at the border or at the point of sale, what is essential is that the forests of West Papua and Papua New Guinea are saved from exploitation before it is too late.

Yours sincerely,

Maire Leadbeater

On behalf of Indonesia Human Rights Committee and Rainforest Action

NZ Inaction on Illegal and Unsustainable Logging

by Catherine Delahunty

Cabinet decisions addressing illegal and unsustainable logging imports released last week claim to be a package of actions. In fact they are a long list of inactions.

The National Government has backed away from the previous Government’s 2008 requirement to label the tropical timber used in outdoor furniture – kwila – which is being illegally logged, particularly across West Papua.

Labour’s mandatory labelling requirement hadn’t yet been fully implemented, but it was a good start. Now National have ignored calls from the New Zealand forestry industry and environmental networks for regulation to stop the import of wood products from rainforests.

I am personally extremely disappointed because when my Customs and Excise (Sustainable Forestry) Bill to ban illegal and unsustainable timber imports was voted down, the Minister of Forestry, David Carter, told me that while he hadn’t supported the Bill, he would take action. He said he was aware that voluntary regimes to stop this trade were not working.

Yet Cabinet has decided that we should follow the Australian Government who have also just reneged on an election promise to act on the issue and decided that encouraging voluntary labelling is sufficient action.

One of the most offensive aspects of Cabinet’s decision is that in his paper to Cabinet – which I have read – the Minister states that no human rights are affected by this policy position. The human rights of the 60 million indigenous people worldwide who are affected by illegal logging clearly don’t matter to this Government.

The illegal timber trade is a bloody business costing human life, endangered species, and the environment.

Click here to read the full article: NZ Inaction on Illegal and Unsustainable Logging

Protest Outside Fonterra

24 Nov 2009 Auckland, New Zealand — A human chain of protesters piled sacks labelled ‘Fonterra palm kernel’ and ‘Fonterra coal’ outside Fonterra’s corporate headquarters in protest of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the dairy giant’s intensive farming practices.

Click here to read more: Greenpeace Protest Outside Fonterra

Fonterra implicated in rainforest destruction

A Greenpeace investigation has revealed that the iconic New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra is implicated in Indonesian and Malaysian rainforest destruction, dead orangutans and driving global greenhouse gas emissions.

Click here to read more: Greenpeace investigates Fonterra or here to view images: Destruction of a rainforest or here: more images

The NZ Green Party’s Customs and Excise Amendment Bill

IHRC supports the Green Party’s Amendment Bill. For more information go to http://www.greens.org.nz/rainforests