Rainforests
Block the trade of illegal Kwila timber on Trade Me
Help save Indonesian rainforests: tell those who run Trade Me why they should ban the trade of the illegal tropical hardwood on their site.
jon [at] trademe [dot] co [dot] nz (Contact Trade Me CEO, Jon MacDonald)
Illegal timber trade
The destruction of rainforests is accelerating. Demand for timber, pulp, palm oil and biofuels is leading to unsustainable and often illegal logging of the remaining half of the world's tropical rainforests.
We are losing species daily in these biodiversity hotspots, even the orang-utan is threatened. It results in loss of livelihood for the hundreds of millions of people dependent to varying degrees on the forests to live. And it is the single biggest contributor to greenhouse emissions - 20-25% of all emissions are a result of deforestation.
The Greens are campaigning to save the rainforests. We want to curb the import of illegal and unsustainable timber and wood products into New Zealand, and ensure all biofuel used here is sustainable. We have two bills before Parliament to achieve these ends. You can join this campaign.
What can you do?
Read more on Jeanette's Sustainable Biofuels Bill
Read more on Catherine's Sustainable Forestry Bill
Contact your MP and ask them to support our Bills
Check out Greenpeace's Good Wood Guide
What's New
Customs and Excise (Sustainable Forestry) Amendment Bill - second speech - Catherine Delahunty
I really was fascinated by the responses to my bill, the Customs and Excise (Sustainable Forestry) Amendment Bill, and also by the strange description of me and Jeanette—who have spent most of our adult lives living in rural areas, working on farms, supporting farming, working with forestry, and planting hundreds of trees—as if we have absolutely no idea of how the rural economy functions, nor of the importance of looking after our land.
Customs and Excise (Sustainable Forestry) Amendment Bill - Catherine Delahunty
I am proud to introduce the Customs and Excise (Sustainable Forestry) Amendment Bill and would like it to be referred at the appropriate time to the Local Govt and Environment Select Committee. The Bill has a clear purpose which is to regulate the import of timber and timber products at our border.
Bill would benefit our economy and world climate
A Bill regulating the import of illegal and unsustainable tropical timber will have its first reading in Parliament today. It could benefit New Zealand forestry to the tune of $270 million per year as well as help save the rainforests, and the Government should support it, Green MP Catherine Delahunty said.
Govt foot falls from mouth on biosecurity risk
The Government has finally acknowledged that there are palm kernel biosecurity risks, including from foot and mouth disease, following Green Party questioning and pressure in past months.
Furniture or the forest?
Now that spring is here people are beginning to remember the ambience of warm evenings around the barbecue sitting on sturdy outdoor furniture with cool drinks in hand. Not many people realise how much of that decking or the barbecue itself is made with timber which is both illegal and unsustainable.
Government has foot in mouth on biosecurity
The Government’s lax approach to protecting New Zealand’s agricultural economy and natural environment from biosecurity risks has been criticised by the Green Party, who today released information about the biosecurity risks of palm kernel.
Rainforest campaign public meeting
Where: Yaza Cafe, Montgomery Square, Nelson
The Greens are campaigning to save the rainforests. We want to curb the import of illegal and unsustainable timber and wood products into New Zealand, and ensure all biofuel used here is sustainable.
Russel Norman challenges the Prime Minister on whether palm kernel extract really is just a waste product
Palm Kernel Imports—Profitability for Palm Oil Industry
Oral Question #8, Thursday 17 September 2009.
Dr RUSSEL NORMAN (Co-Leader—Green) to the Prime Minister: Does he stand by his comment that palm kernel extract was a waste product and not leading to deforestation; if so, does he believe that the $317 million that New Zealand paid for palm kernel in 2008 made no contribution to profitability of the oil palm industry?
Palm kernel biosecurity threat
The serious biosecurity threat posed by the importation of palm kernel has been revealed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in response to written questions from the Green Party.
Palm kernel extract as a supplementary feed. Is it safe?
Sue Kedgley quizzes the Minister of Agriculture over the safety of palm kernel extract that is used as a supplementary feed for dairy cows in New Zealand. She also highlighted the destruction caused by those creating palm oil plantations in Asia.
