05
Nov 2008 - Cape Town, South Africa: There
is a unique opportunity in South Africa
this week for the wine industry to engage
with the conservation community and put
sustainability on the global wine agenda.
The Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC) general assembly, being held
in Cape Town from 3-7 November, gives representatives
from the business, environmental and social
sectors from over 60 countries a chance
to discuss the close links between people,
forests and business around the world.
One of the key issues
will be cork oak landscapes, which face
a major threat from the growing use of plastic
and metal substitutes for cork stoppers
in wine bottles, cork’s main market. Globally
15 billion cork stoppers are manufactured
every year to seal wine bottles and the
role of cork and wine in promoting sustainable
use of forests will provide important guidelines
to the forestry sector.
Cork is the bark of
the cork oak tree, growing naturally in
the West Mediterranean Basin and designated
as a global priority species by WWF in urgent
need for conservation. The cork industry
worldwide is worth approximately €1.5 billion.
“Cork for wine bottle
stoppers accounts for almost 70% of the
total value of the cork market,” said Thérèse
Brinkcate, Ecosystems Partnership Manager
for WWF-South Africa. “Hence the vital role
played by the wine industry in maintaining
the economic value of cork and the cork
oak landscapes.
“The increase in the
market share of alternative wine stoppers,
specifically plastic stoppers and screw
tops, could reduce the economic value of
cork lands therefore leading to their conversion
for other uses, abandonment, degradation,
and finally loss of one of the most valuable
examples of a human–nature balanced system.”
Through its cork oak
landscapes programme WWF uses FSC certification
as a market-based tool to drive best management
practices on the ground while ensuring sustainable
cork markets through the production and
trade chain, from the forest to the wine
bottle.
WWF considers that FSC
certification is the best tool to ensure
responsible management of cork oak forests,
and therefore it is working with its partners
on promoting FSC certification among the
cork industry, wine industry, land owners
and forest managers.
Leading wineries and
retailers have already publicly demonstrated
their commitment to cork and wine bottles
sealed with FSC cork are already available
in the market.
South Africa has become
the world's eighth largest producer of wine,
contributing 3.5% of the global wine production.
Ninety per cent of South Africa’s wine is
produced in the Cape Floral Kingdom (CFK).
This is where an initiative called “the
Biodiversity and Wine Initiative” (BWI)
takes place.
“Since 2005 WWF has
been pioneering this Initiative which is
a collaboration between the South African
wine industry and conservation institutions
[The Botanical Society of South Africa,
and The Green Trust] aiming at minimizing
the further loss of threatened natural habitat
and contributing to sustainable wine production
through the adoption of biodiversity guidelines
by the South African wine industry,” said
Brinkcate.
In September 2008 the
BWI reached a major milestone with the area
under conservation (over 104,000ha) now
equal to the area of planted vineyard in
the Cape Winelands. This conservation area
has been set aside by 13 champions, who
are exemplary producers achieving distinction
in their conservation efforts, nine producer
cellars and 107 members.
“At a time of global
ecological credit crunch, this event will
provide a real opportunity to leverage South
African wine producers and retailers to
further improve their environmental sustainability
by committing to using FSC cork stoppers,
encouraging the cork sector to increase
the supply of FSC certified cork, leading
the way for the wine industry worldwide,”
said Brinckate.
+ More
WWF welcomes Obama’s
election
05 Nov 2008 - Washingon
D.C., USA: The election of Barack Obama
as President of the United States has been
welcomed by WWF - provided he sticks to
the progressive environmental policies that
he promised throughout his campaign.
President-elect Obama
has declared his commitment to policies
that will sharply reduce greenhouse gas
pollution and help prepare the world for
the impact of climate change.
Chief Emeka Anyaoku,
International President, WWF, welcomed the
appointment. "I hail Barack Obama's
election as a milestone in modern human
history and a beacon of hope for all those
who care about the future well-being of
planet earth,” he said.
“Obama faces tough challenges
on many fronts, but I am optimistic that
he will stand by his campaign pledges to
act quickly and decisively to reduce greenhouse
gas pollution and tackle the worst effects
of climate change.
“The evident universal
acclamation of his election shows that the
President-elect is in a uniquely powerful
position to influence other global leaders,
and I trust he will use that influence to
secure a meaningful global deal on climate
change."
Following the election
Carter Roberts, CEO of WWF-US, said: “We
are confident President-elect Obama will
view these challenging times as an opportunity
to reverse the ill-chosen policies of the
past and chart a new course that will lead
America and the world to a healthier, safer,
more sustainable and prosperous future.
“We look forward to
working with the new President and his administration
to implement the progressive environmental
policies which he championed throughout
his campaign.
“We hope the President-elect
will also send a strong message to the international
community that the US is now committed to
working closely and cooperatively on climate
change and intends to play a leadership
role in the upcoming international climate
talks in Poznan, Poland.”
