Local MP Katy Clark has welcomed news that the Government is launching a consultation on how to toughen European legislation on excluding illegal timber from our markets.
For years countries have seen their forest coverage shrink considerably. Worldwide there is enough tress cut down each year to cover the size of Portugal and if this continues the problem will continue to increase.
Katy said, “Deforestation has a terrible effect on the environment. It is believed that it accounts for almost 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions globally. Illegal logging not only adds to this environmental damage but also costs producing economies roughly $10 billion a year.”
“It is positive that the Government are discussing these problems. Steps are already underway to prevent illegal timber from entering the EU market and it is important that Britain plays a pivotal role in this to illustrate that such activity is no longer acceptable.”