Tag Archives: illegal logging

Nature Care

Solomon Islands’ Logging Curtail

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Gov’t to limit round log exports

THE government is in a move to reduce the round log export in the next 4 years to a sustainable rate, says Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.

He stated this when highlighting the importance of the trip by Government officials to China, which is to do a timber trade survey.

He stated that the timber trade survey is important to the Ministry of Forestry as the Government is in a position to implement the 50cm diameter limit for all round logs exports. 

The Ministry of Forestry is part of the government team led by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury’s Economic Reform Unit that usually negotiate the Determined Values quarterly. 

With the recent trip, he said the Ministry of Forestry needs to understand the demand on the ground. 

“The issue of descending log prices is paramount to discuss with round log buyers and industries/factories and negotiating direct sales to factories is important if we want to maximize revenue from round log export,” the Prime Minister stated. 

Mr Sogavare further reiterated that the investigation on other processed timber producers market will also be raised with log buyers and factory buyers and adds that the visitation to industries and furniture factories are important to discuss and understand on the ground, especially the timber quality and properties of added value timber products.

Having both parties on the ground understanding the trade in China can assist both parties to make better decisions that benefits all stakeholders of logging business. 

“This is a Win-Win situation for all including the resource owners,” he stated.

The Ministry of Forestry has participated on this trip in 2018 and have increased their participation this year by including the Minister and the Commissioner. 

While in China, other trade opportunities will be looked into including non-timber forest products.

The trip is jointly funded by the Solomon Islands Government through the Ministry of Forestry and the Sustainable Forest Association.

The DCGA is committed to the delivery of ongoing and prospective policy priorities in the interests of peace, national stability and economic advancement.

Source: SSNews

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China seen as key for reducing illegal logging in Melanesia

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Civil society is looking at China as the best bet for reducing illegal logging in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.

PNG is China’s single largest supplier of timber, large quantities of which come from illegal operations.

A policy advisor with the environmental and anti-corruption NGO Global Witness says PNG’s government has largely failed to put the interests of landowners who depend on forests ahead of foreign logging interests.

Lela Stanley said China holds the key because it purchases at least 85 percent of PNG’s annual log exports.

“It’s a similar situation in PNG’s neighbour Solomon Islands. China just has this outsize purchasing power, this outsize influence in the business.

“Any changes that it makes in terms of what kind of requirements it places on how timber is produced, how it’s sourced, how it’s checking to make sure it’s been done legally or not, will have a really profound impact.”

PNG civil society groups have written to China’s government urging it to regulate illegal wood imports from the country.

The letter, which highlights the impacts of illegal logging on PNG rural communities, was addressed to Chinese president Xi Jinping who is in PNG this week for APEC.

Ms Stanley said it was hoped that Xi’s new Belt and Road initiaitives in the region would take heed of the need for regulations around sourcing of raw materials like timber.

“It’s going to be hard to break through other competing demands for attention this week at APEC,” she admitted.

Ms Stanley said other major economies have created laws to ensure timber they source abroad are produced legally and sustainably, and China’s lack of regulations was notable.

Source: https://www.radionz.co.nz