MEDIA RELEASE
21 December 2009
Protecting Australia’s native forests can now help to meet new greenhouse target
The federal government has the opportunity to meet and exceed the greenhouse gas reduction targets it
must lodge by the end of January, following the agreement struck at Copenhagen, by protecting
Australia’s remaining intact native forests, The Wilderness Society said today.
“The Prime Minister went to Copenhagen and supported protection of unspoilt native forests in
developing countries. Now he has the opportunity to do the same in his own backyard to help meet and
even exceed Australia’s target to cut emissions,” The Wilderness Society’s lead negotiator at
Copenhagen, Peg Putt said on return to Australia today.
Australia was also part of a move by rich nations at Copenhagen to “fiddle the books” on accounting
for greenhouse emissions from logging of native forests, but must now act honestly to ensure they are
not hidden in a policy to reduce carbon pollution and tackle climate change, Ms Putt said.
“The failure of Copenhagen is an awful blow to hopes for the planet and the millions of people who
will suffer the impacts of climate change, and it also leaves to fate of the world’s forests unresolved,”
Ms Putt said.
“Protecting intact native forests is a simple, fast and effective way to reduce carbon emissions but
progress towards doing this in developing countries is now stalled because in Copenhagen world
leaders couldn’t deliver a strong meaningful agreement, or even the hope of one.
“If it was good enough for the Prime Minister to support protecting native forests in countries like
Indonesia and Brazil, then it must be good enough for him to now act to protect Australia’s native
forests and build a buffer against climate change.
“Developed countries like Australia have so far evaded making any commitment to protecting their
own native forests, but now the pressure is on to drop the double standard of demanding forest
protection in developing countries if they are not prepared to do at home.
“In Australia the Government and the Opposition must both make a commitment to native forest
protection for a climate solution.”
Media Enquiries:
Peg Putt, 0418 127 580
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