DAFF08/035B
Australia and China will work more closely together to combat illegal logging and trade in illegal forest products following discussions in Beijing yesterday, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke has announced.
Mr Burke met with Dr Zhu Lieke, Vice Minister, State Forestry Administration during his visit to the region to discuss a range of trade and biosecurity issues.
Australia and China have agreed to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to combat illegal logging by establishing a working group to identify key areas for potential cooperation.
The agreement would help to deliver on a key Rudd Government election commitment to crack down on the trade of illegally logged timber.
“I welcome China’s undertaking to work closely with Australia in tackling this important global issue,” Mr Burke said.
“Illegal logging and associated trade causes forest degradation and deforestation, leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions.
“It undermines our efforts to manage forests on a long-term sustainable basis and deprives local communities of the economic benefits from a sustainable forestry industry.
“China is a major player in the trade of processed wood products and is critically positioned for the fight against illegal logging.”
Mr Burke said areas of cooperation to be considered included:
- jointly promoting legal and sustainable forest management practices in the region;
- agreeing on definitions of deforestation and illegal logging; and
- developing systems for verifying legality of forest products.
“Our countries can make a significant regional and global impact on illegal logging and associated trade by developing a Memorandum of Understanding,” Mr Burke said.
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development estimates that up to 10% of global industrial round wood trade is illegally harvested.