Australia’s forest industries used yesterday’s International Day of Forests to call on all policy and political decision makers to better recognise the potential Australia’s forest industries provide for the nation to meet its emission reduction targets and fight climate change. Source: Timberbiz
“The International Day of Forests 2023 theme is ‘forests and health’ promoting the endless benefits forests provide in improving health globally,” Australian Forest Products Association CEO Joel Fitzgibbon said.
“One of the biggest threats to health is climate change which is where better political and policy recognition of sustainable forest industries can make a difference,” he said.
Mr Fitzgibbon said that Australia needed climate solutions to meet its emission reduction targets and forest industries should be a key part of the mix.
Growing more trees in plantations and native forests locks up carbon while increasing Australia’s future local supply of sustainable timber and wood fibre. This also enhanced Australia’s sovereign capability while creating sustainable jobs for thousands of people, many in rural and regional areas.
“Global demand for wood fibre is forecast to grow exponentially by the middle of the century, so the opportunities for Australia to make an even larger climate mitigation contribution through timber trees, while supplying the world with sustainable timber and wood fibre products is huge,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.
“Today, on International Day of Forests, I call on all policy and political decision makers to better recognise Australia’s forest industries’ potential to fight climate change and meet our emission reduction targets.”
