Climate change plan gives green light for native forest power stations ignores protection of forests

Following the release of the Tasmanian Government’s ‘wedges project’, environment groups today expressed dismay at the apparent lack of analysis and acceptance of the actual emissions from forestry activities and the immediate climate benefits that could be achieved by protecting native forests.

The report ignores the 2007 Tasmanian Climate Strategy[1][1] showing forestry was the biggest emitter of any sector in Tasmania and appears to give the green light to policy supporting the environmentally destructive and emissive option of burning native forests in wood-fired power generators.

“This climate change plan appears to have ignored the elephant in the room, the logging and burning of Tasmania’s carbon dense native forests and the desperate need to protect them,” said Vica Bayley, spokesperson for The Wilderness Society.

“Burning native forests in wood fired power stations is bad for climate change and bad for Tasmanian’s clean clever brand and the Bartlett government should immediately implement policy that rules out burning native forest biomass for electricity generation,” continued Mr Bayley.

Environment Tasmania spokesperson Jess Wright said that the wedges project was disappointing because it ignores the critical contribution that Tasmania’s unique natural environment can make to achieving deep, early reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

“The Government should be establishing a substantial native forest conservation and restoration fund on private land, to deliver immediate greenhouse gas reductions whilst helping farmers and landowners contribute to Tasmania’s efforts to avoid dangerous climate change, ” said Ms Wright.

Environment groups look forward to participating in the ongoing process with the Tasmanian Climate Change Office, to ensure the best public policy outcomes are developed by the Tasmanian Government. To do this, Forestry Tasmania data related to actual logging emissions and carbon storage in native forests must be made available for public scrutiny.
Vica Bayley, Wilderness Society