SOUTH EAST REGION CONSERVATION ALLIANCE (SERCA)
                                   
                                     MEDIA RELEASE   (South Coast Media)    14 APRIL 2008

                                     GREEN CARBON COUNTS

Saving Australia’s native forests offers a quick and cheap way to cut our greenhouse gas emissions.

“Changes can be made right now to Australian native forestry sector policies that will result in large reductions in our carbon dioxide emissions quickly and with little cost,” said Prue Acton, spokesperson for the South East Region Conservation Alliance (SERCA).  

Conservationists across SE Australia are asking 2020 Summit delegates to tell the Government that green carbon in our native forests counts. As part of a campaign to have emissions from forestry practices included in the national carbon account, SERCA is sponsoring an advertisement in the Canberra Times on the first day of the Summit. It has been funded by donations from about 100 individuals and groups across Australia who believe that the Government is ignoring the potential of natural native forests to abate carbon dioxide emissions.  “The Alliance is hopeful that the Summit delegates will apply a fresh, common sense approach to this issue”, Prue said.

She continued, “Collectively, our natural native forests are our best carbon store. The new world of developing carbon markets makes these native forests even more valuable if left unlogged.  Plantations can now supply almost all native forest products and woodchip requirements.”

Australia is in danger of adopting a carbon accounting system that will prevent us from reaping the benefits from carbon markets.  Enormous emissions result from burning logging waste, soil disturbance and wood product degradation, but the Government plans to count them as “zero”.

“As Australia urgently needs to reduce its emissions, is this the right thing to do?  The proposed system would lead to our woodchipping emissions not being included in Australia’s accounts.  Is this logical?”,  Prue asked.

She concluded “Australia must do better. We need new climate-friendly Commonwealth/State agreements that recognise natural native forests for their carbon storage values.”

Contact details:     Name:  John Hibberd
                              Phone:  64940135

                              Name:  Prue Acton
                              Phone:  64945144