In the Media
Flannery in-depth on PNG’s logging boom
February 07, 2012
ABC Radio Australia
Late last week, Radio Australia revealed new figures which showed forest clearance on controversial land leases in PNG has pushed that country’s log exports to record levels. In 2011, PNG exported 3.5 million cubic metres of logs – making PNG the 2nd largest exporter of tropical hardwood logs in the world.
The Swiss testing and verification company SGS says it was logging on Special Agricultural and Business leases that pushed exports into record territory.
Australia’s Chief Climate Commissioner, Professor Tim Flannery, warned this kind of logging has great dangers for the people and the environment in PNG. “I think that there are genuine concerns and there are many countries now that are doing things the right way. We’ve seen in Brazil, for example, a real turnaround in terms of the rate of deforestation. Forests are still being lost there but at a fraction of the rate of just a few years ago so there are good models out there to help and in PNG itself there has been some really significant initiatives in times past, where people have developed these walkabout saw mills, for example, where a local community can fell a tree in the forest, process the planks there and then sell the planks for whatever money they need, which is much more profitable and sustainable for them than selling the entire forest.” He said.
Tim Flannery further said, “I have watched communities struggle with unjust provincial and national government logging related issues. I’ve got some very dear friends in the South East of Papua New Guinea who have been fighting an ongoing battle to preserve their forests so yeah! Action is really needed. We need that clear framework, we need people to agree on what the law actually is and then stick by it and make sure they do it properly.”
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Keywords: Asia, deforestation, logging, Papua New Guinea, PNG, SABL, SABLs