Timber and forestry is rising rapidly to the top of the political agenda, environment minister Phil Woolas told TTJ’s Wood Futures conference in central London last week..
More than 100 delegates from across the timber sector attended the event, held in association with the Medite 2016 forum, at the Royal Festival Hall to hear Mr Woolas and a line-up of top speakers cover the opportunities and challenges for timber in a market place being increasingly shaped by green issues.
Mr Woolas, who has responsibility for policy relating to timber procurement, illegal logging and promotion of sustainable forest management, said the increasing importance of the climate change debate had forced timber onto the political agenda and changed the way forests were viewed.
He said real challenges existed, including an estimated 10% of logging worldwide to be illegal and governments losing US$15bn a year in revenue due to illegal logging. And just 8% of the world’s production forests are certified.
But he praised the knowledge and reputation of the UK timber industry, which he said was held in high regard around the world. And he said the industry’s frequent claim of being the leading sustainable construction material was a very strong one.
“The industry has demonstrated increasing leadership in recent years and has helped government to work to its policy targets.”
Mr Woolas said the government’s revised timber procurement policy, which sets 2015 as the goal for all its wood to be legal and sustainable, was a driver for the economy and a “test-bed” for commodities. He admitted the government was working to improve reporting of its use of certified timber – something which has been criticised in the past.
A full report on the Wood Futures conference will appear in the next issue of TTJ
