Posted on 12 October
2010
The EU Regulation on Illegal Logging
cleared its final legislative hurdle on
Monday, following the adoption of the proposed
draft by the Council of Ministers, effectively
issuing a ban on illegal timber. In July,
the European Parliament overwhelmingly approved
a crack down on illegal timber, voting 644-25
in favor of the legislation.
The new law will require
that all operators placing timber products
on the market for the first time to ensure
that their products have been legally harvested.
"WWF's Global Forest
& Trade Network (GFTN) welcomes this
development and looks forward to the day
on which Europe is no longer a market for
illegal timber. For too long, those striving
to operate responsibly, such as companies
participating in the GFTN, have been forced
to compete on an uneven playing field against
less scrupulous operators,” said George
White, Head of the GFTN.
“The passing of this
Regulation sends a strong message to forest
managers, forest communities and governments
worldwide that their efforts to act responsibly
and within the law is appreciated and now
needed within this major market,” he added.
In requiring operators
to ensure the legality of their timber products,
the Regulation calls for ‘due diligence’
systems to be put in place that address
three elements inherent to risk management:
access to information, risk assessment and
mitigation of the risk identified.
“Combined with the US
Lacey Act, this new Regulation begins to
close two of the world's major markets to
those who act irresponsibly and outside
the law. The GFTN will continue to welcome
companies that seek guidance on legal compliance
and are committed towards taking this first
step towards responsible forest management
and building a solid foundation for robust
and responsible forest products industry,"
concluded White.
+ More
Businesses call for
EU policy move to 30% emissions cuts by
2020
Posted on 13 October
2010
29 European companies today called on the
European Union to increase its ambition
to cut EU emissions to 30 per cent by 2020
from 11000 levels in the interests of strengthening
Europe’s economic future, boosting jobs
and providing greater certainty and predictability
for investors.
It is the first time
such a large and diverse group of EU businesses
has called for Europe to increase its policy
ambition to cut emissions to 30 per cent.
Companies supporting
the joint business declaration [“Increasing
Europe’s Climate Ambition will be Good for
the EU Economy and Jobs”] include Acciona,
Alstom, Asda, Atkins, Barilla, BNP Paribas,
BSkyB, Capgemini, Centrica plc, Climate
Change Capital, Crédit Agricole,
DHV Group, Elopak, Eneco, F&C Asset
Management, GE Energy, Johnson Controls
Inc, Kingfisher, Google, Marks and Spencer,
Nike, Philips Lighting, SKAI Group of Companies,
Sony Europe, Standard Life, Swiss Re, Tryg,
Thames Water, and Vodafone.
The declaration reflects
a growing coalition of businesses and climate
ministers who believe Europe must review
its climate policy to secure its long-term
economic competiveness with China and the
US in growing global market for low carbon
goods and services. The current European
target is for the EU to cut emissions by
20 per cent from 11000 levels by 2020.
The joint business declaration
has been led by The Climate Group, The Cambridge
Programme for
Sustainability Leadership, and WWF Climate
Savers Programme and will be published and
sent to the
European Commission, Council, Parliament
and Presidency ahead of the EU Environment
Council tomorrow where Ministers will debate
the costs, benefits and nature of increasing
the EU’s climate reduction target.
The joint declaration
states “There is no high-carbon low-cost
future for Europe” and calls on the EU to
consider increasing its greenhouse gas reduction
target to drive low carbon investment, saying:
