GREENPEACE HIGHLIGHTS G-8 FAILURE TO PROTECT THE LAST REMAINING ANCIENT FORESTS

GREENPEACE HIGHLIGHTS G-8 FAILURE TO PROTECT THE LAST REMAINING ANCIENT FORESTS

11 July 2000

Tokyo -- In a press conference today, Greenpeace revealed the complete lack of action that G-8 governments have taken to date toward fulfilling their previous commitments to conserve the world’s forests. Greenpeace has obtained a leaked copy of the report that the G-8 will discuss at the upcoming Foreign Ministers Meeting in Miyazaki addressing the rapid disappearance of ancient forests around the world. Through the release of a G-8 country scorecard, Greenpeace disclosed that in fact not one of the G-8 countries has implemented the promised programs to fulfil their 1998 commitment to monitor and control trafficking in illegal forest products(1). While the G-8 countries have taken action to promote sustainable forest management (2), illegal and unsustainable production and trade in wood products is still widespread.

Only 20% of the world’s original ancient forests remain intact -- most of these forests are located in Canada, Brazil, the Congo Basin and Russia. The world’s ancient forests are vital for species habitat, water regulation, biodiversity and climate regulation; these fragile areas are rapidly being destroyed by illegal and destructive logging activities that serve to supply consumption in Europe, Japan and the United States of America.

The G-8 countries, along with the EU, account for the majority of the world’s international timber trade and all deal with countries that are associated with criminal timber activities. Government reports have clearly shown that the level of illegal logging in some of the major timber producing countries is prevalent. For example, it is estimated that 80% of logging in the Brazilian Amazon is illegal.

Greenpeace recently identified trade in criminal timber in the UK, Germany, Italy, Russia and Japan, highlighting a lack of action by logging companies and traders. Additionally Greenpeace contends that G-8 governments must implement internal measures to control trade in illegal and destructive logging.

"G-8 countries have completely failed and must take action to improve what so far has been an appalling record in protecting these delicate ecosystems," said Martin Kaiser of Greenpeace International. "The time to act was yesterday, if we wait any longer, the forests will be gone.(3)"

During this year’s G-8 meetings, governments will review the Pilot Programme for Protection of the Brazilian Rainforest (PPG7). This is the only collaborative programme so far, but it has failed to stop illegal logging, one of the main threats to ancient forests in the Amazon. Based on experiences in tracking illegal logging in the Amazon during the past two years, Greenpeace submitted to the G-8 a proposal to strengthen the PPG7 to directly combat illegal logging.

"The G-8 efforts to save the Amazon to date have never addressed the rampant illegal practices there. To date the programs have always been at least two steps behind the forest criminals," said Flavio Montiel, Greenpeace International Political Advisor. "If they don’t begin to face this problem head-on, the devastation will continue to increase."

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
-- Martin Kaiser, Greenpeace Forest Campaigner or Flavio Montiel, Greenpeace Political Advisor, ++81 90 2253 0327
-- Mikiko Fukuda, Greenpeace Japan Forest Campaigner ++81 90 2479 5409
-- Gina Sanchez, Greenpeace International Press Desk, in Japan, ++ 81 90 2254 2388

(1) See attached Greenpeace Scorecard of G8 Countries’ Performance on Forests. (2) G8 commitment from Denver, 20-22 June ,1997: "Forests continue to be destroyed and degraded at alarming rates in many parts of the world. To reverse this trend, we call upon all countries to make a long term political commitment to achieve sustainable forests management practices world-wide and to join us in the immediate implementation of proposals put forward by the Intergovernmental Panel on Forests. We have discussed in Denver and have agreed to support a practical Action Program that includes … eliminating illegal logging."

(3) G8 countries did not fulfil their commitments of 1998. Greenpeace demands that G8 countries take their commitments serious and start immediately implementing the following activities.

Overall demand: Stop industrial development in all ancient forests until proven sustainable.

G8 must decide at their Summit in Okinawa 2000 to:

1. Adopt a green procurement policy. G8 Governments will only buy certified timber products, such as FSC-certified. 2. Stop subsidising destruction. All existing subsidies should be assessed and abolished if proven a threat to sustainable and ecosystem-based forest management. 3. Provide assistance to developing countries to combat illegal logging. In particular, in the framework of the PPG7, G8 should adopts a "Proposal for a G8 Project for the Protection of Brazilian Ancient Forests from Illegal Logging" put forward by Greenpeace.