Chopping down forests on the table at Cancun climate change talks

Cancun Climate Talks: Australian Government chasing loophole to raise carbon emissions by a billion tonnes.

Update, Dec 11: The Climate Talks in Cancun have come to a close, and there is some good news - the logging and clearing loophole has not been passed, and countries have agreed to review this loophole and others which threaten real reductions in polluting carbon emissions which cause dangerous climate change.

Over 13,500 people told Minister Combet we want Trees Not Tricks by signing online to help support the climate talks in Cancun - Thank you!

Under proposed new Kyoto rules, all developed countries would be allowed to increase their emissions from forestry and would not have to account for this increase in their emissions reduction targets.

Given the resounding media silence, you may not know the International community is currently meeting for the next round of climate change negotiations, but just what is being negotiated is under scrutiny.

Australia has joined other countries in Cancun, Mexico for the next round of UN climate talks, following on from the disappointment of last year’s climate talks in Copenhagen - but just what is being negotiated is being called in to question by environment groups.

The Australian Government is planning to exploit a loophole in the proposed new rules to increase carbon pollution from the destruction of native forests and wetlands by 1 billion tonnes.

The loophole, which represents 10% of global carbon pollution emissions, would sanction an increase in logging of land and forests in developed countries – it would also fail to close an existing loophole which allows the destruction of forests and wetlands in our own backyard.

The Federal Minister for Climate Change, Greg Combet, is set to arrive in Cancun on Saturday where environment groups, including the Wilderness Society, will be urging him to close this dangerous loophole.

A campaign has been launched - Truth in Targets - which all governments including Australia are being urged to sign. It aims to close the loophole and keep governments from destroying forests and wetlands, which are the lungs of the Earth.

Given Australia which is on the verge of great progress to protect native forests from logging in Tasmania and possibly on the mainland, resorting to an international loophole which would sanction logging is at odds with the progress that has been made.

With Australia’s forests and outback acting as huge positive carbon stores with a real impact on reducing Australia’s carbon pollution emissions, now is the time to be protecting and preserving our forests, not cutting them down.

Further reading:

• Australian outback found to be a vast climate 'Pollution Bank'
• Our forests are crucial carbon stores
• Yes we Cancun, but we probably won’t - ABC
• Loophole in new climate agreement to increase emissions by one billion tonnes