Posts Tagged ‘carbon’

Multi-million cost of carbon pollution from logging in East Gippsland

Thursday, September 4th, 2008

Greens MPs send invoice to Eden Chipmill

Following a visit yesterday to Eden Chipmill Greens MPs from Victoria, NSW and ACT have forwarded to the mill’s general manager an invoice for the estimated cost of the carbon pollution generated as a result of 2006/7 logging.

Greens MPs Sue Pennicuik (Victoria), Lee Rhiannon (NSW) and Deb Foskey (ACT) toured the Eden Chipmill today with Peter Mitchell, General Manager, and Peter Rutherford, Forestry Manager, with South East Fibre Exports Pty Ltd.

“Our visit today to the Eden Chipmill was informative and we appreciated the briefing we were given by the SEFE management team. However, the challenge of climate change has thrown up more reasons why our magnificent native forests in East Gippsland and southeast NSW should be protected and logging discontinued,” Ms Pennicuik said.

“To highlight the damaging impact this chipmill operation is having on the global as well as the local environment today we have sent an invoice to Mr Mitchell for the estimated cost of the carbon pollution generated by logging linked to the Eden Chipmill.”

The invoice for $181 million has been determined using the latest data on the amount of carbon dioxide released by logging based on an estimated $10 per tonne cost for carbon dioxide under an Emissions Trading Scheme.

“The $10 per tonne figure is conservative. Using Sir Nicholas Sterns’ $107 per tonne of carbon dioxide figure set out in his report to the British government this invoice would rise to $1.9 billion.”

Greens MP Lee Rhiannon said, “One of the most significant actions we can take to cut Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions is to stop native forest logging.”

  • A climate change priority for the NSW and federal governments is to close down the Eden Chip mill and develop a restructuring package that involves retraining and jobs for the 70 chip mill workers.
  • Our precious forests are of far greater value to the world as a carbon bank than as a shipload of wood chips heading to Japan. Greens MP Deb Foskey said “I will be working closely with my NSW and Victorian colleagues on this campaign to expose the threats posed by forestry destruction and wood chipping to climate change.”
  • Native forests should not be felled for wood chips, electricity generation or to drive the profits of overseas companies. The rich southeast biodiversity must be protected.
  • Closure of the chip mill will be a win for the environment and the economy, as the pollution cost burden will be removed.

Copies of the invoice and letter to Mr Mitchell available on request. For more information - Lee Rhiannon - 0427 861 568, Sue Pennicuik * 0407 000 270, Deb Foskey - 0413 223 585

    Greens leadership pays dividends

    Thursday, August 7th, 2008

    Greens MLA Deb Foskey welcomed an ACT Government Bill introduced today which will provide for lower duties on low emission cars. It is an initiative proposed by the Greens three years ago, but rejected at the time by the ACT Labor Government.

    “The Labor Government should just accept that Canberra would be a more progressive positive city if it was prepared to accept some guidance from the Greens” Dr Foskey said today.

    “If this Government had approached our policy initiatives with an open mind I believe Canberra could be leading Australia in the shift towards a low carbon economy.”

    “The Chief Minister’s recent enthusiasm for light rail, and his Government’s slow move towards making public housing energy efficient and its eventual adoption of the United Nations Charter for Responsible Investment are just three indicators that show where the Greens lead the Government follows… eventually.”

    “I trust the Government will now look at taking the same approach with new car registration as it is now taking with stamp duty; that it will pick up on Andrew Blakers’ solarisation proposal and roll out a low energy retrofit for all of Canberra’s existing buildings; and make concrete plans for an integrated transport system that will let more people leave their cars at home.”

    “These are all urgent initiatives. After the next election I trust that a strong Greens crossbench will make the Government act faster” Dr Foskey said.