Protecting native forests: an essential climate measure

The government has abandoned their Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, but there’s a cheap, practical way of cutting greenhouse gas emissions that’s ready right now - protecting Australia’s unique native forests.

Groundbreaking new science from researchers at ANU reveals that Australia has some of the most carbon-rich forests in the world – storing more carbon per hectare than tropical forests in Indonesia or Brazil. Click image to enlarge.

Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time, and Australians have overwhelmingly called for government action. Thousands of people have called, signed petitions, emailed, and written letters to support The Wilderness Society’s call for urgent protection of native forests as important carbon stores. Now that the government has shelved the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS), it is even more important that we protect the huge amounts of carbon stored in our native forests.

The shelving of the CPRS means that the government will not put a price on carbon emissions. There will be no system in place for polluting industries to trade ‘carbon pollution permits’ on the market, and the government will have less power to make big businesses reduce their carbon emissions. But even without the CPRS, we still have the opportunity to reduce our emissions right now - by investing in renewable energy and protecting our native forests.

Preliminary estimates from world-first research from the Fenner School of Environment and Society at the Australian National University suggested that around 9.3 billion tonnes of carbon could be stored in our 14.5 million hectares of native eucalypt forests if they are left undisturbed to recover from past damage like logging. This is an opportunity that the Gillard Government should pursue right now if they are serious about tackling climate change.

Australia’s native forests are part of our natural heritage. They protect fresh water supplies, filter the air we breathe, and store carbon pollution. Despite this, destructive logging practices continue – devastating the habitats of native species, polluting our streams and waterways, and releasing huge amounts of carbon pollution into the atmosphere. On a global scale, approximately 25% of greenhouse gas emissions come from clearing, logging and degradation of the world's  forests. Right now, the Australian Government has an opportunity to lead the way in reducing emissions from degradation and destruction of forests.

Our native forests are worth more standing up to store carbon pollution than cut down for woodchips and paper.

There are many possible paths to meeting the challenge of climate change. If we are to be successful, we must move away from polluting forms of energy such as fossil fuels, invest in clean, green, renewable technology, and protect our carbon-rich native forests from destruction.
With your support we can ensure the protection of the world's forests and help secure a safe climate for our future.

What you can do to help:

• Get involved in our community campaign to protect forests for a safe climate! Click here to contact your local campaign centre.
• Support The Wilderness Society’s international campaign to secure a global deal that protects forests and reduces emissions. Visit our special climate portal for updates and more information.
• Ask your friends and family to sign our forest pledge to PM Gillard
• Arrange a meeting with your local MP’s, Senators and community leaders and ask them to increase their commitments to action on climate change and ensure that they act now to reduce industrial fossil fuel emissions and protect Australia’s forests and woodlands. You can click here and find out who your local MP’s are and to get some tips on writing letters to and meeting with politicians.
• Write to Minister Wong urging her to ensure that protecting Australia’s forests be part of any global climate deal.