Blog: Forests

Russian forestry agency launches investigation into illegal logging

Posted by jamie - 13 March 2007 at 7:04pm - Comments

Activists being removed from their blockade of the Stora Enso headquarters in Helsinki Amidst all the current hoo-hah about Trident, we have some good news from Russia or, at least, the potential for good news.

Back in September, our Partners in Crime report revealed how Finland is importing vast quantities of timber logged illegally in neighbouring Russia. According to federal law, all forestry management plans must undergo an Environmental Impact Assessment - in the republic of Karelia these assessments are not being done yet the local government continues to hand out logging permits.

However, this week the Head of the Federal Forestry Agency in Russia has ordered an immediate investigation into the problem, appointing a commission to report back next month. This is a huge step forward and acknowledges the scale of the problem - of all the timber felled in Karelia, the majority is illegal.

Article tagged as: EU, finland, forests, illegal timber, russia, stora enso

Should the EC ban illegal timber? You decide!

Posted by jamie - 12 February 2007 at 9:00am - Comments

If you were caught selling pirate DVDs, it would be no surprise if you were fined or even sent to jail. After all, you would be breaking the law.

But when companies in Europe buy or sell illegal timber from the last of the world's ancient forests, nothing happens. They won't even have the timber confiscated. Astounding, there are no laws to stop illegal timber or timber products from ending up in your local shops or even in your home.

Article tagged as: consultations, EU, forests, illegal timber

Book industry is turning green but huge publisher Hachette bucks the trend

Posted by jamie - 11 December 2006 at 11:33pm - Comments

We haven't made a lot of fuss about the Book Campaign for a while, but it's been slowly simmering in the background and the results have been pretty impressive. Publishers have been keen to adopt forest friendly policies so they use more recycled paper and paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and to date over 40 per cent of UK publishers are on the road to going green.

Article tagged as: authors, book campaign, books, forests, hachette

Book industry is turning green but huge publisher Hachette bucks the trend

Posted by jamie - 11 December 2006 at 9:00am - Comments

Many bestsellers are now printed on forest friendly paper

We haven't made a lot of fuss about the Book Campaign for a while, but it's been slowly simmering in the background and the results have been pretty impressive. Publishers have been keen to adopt forest friendly policies so they use more recycled paper and paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and to date over 40 per cent of UK publishers are on the road to going green.

Article tagged as: authors, book campaign, books, forests, hachette, paper

European Commission admits illegal timber scandal

Posted by jamie - 1 December 2006 at 4:42pm - Comments

Activists demonstrate how the EU should be using FSC timber in May 2004

It's official. The European Union Commission has admitted that we were right about illegal timber in the commission's own headquarters.

Article tagged as: berlaymont, EC, EU, forests, illegal timber

Amazon soya campaign wins BBC food gong

Posted by jamie - 30 November 2006 at 6:39pm - Comments
Stop trashing the Amazon for fast food

I mentioned a few weeks ago that we had been nominated by the good listeners of BBC Radio 4's The Food Programme as part of their annual Food and Farming Awards for our Amazon soya campaign, of which the giant chickens running around McDonald's

Article tagged as: amazon, awards, BBC, forests, soya

Greenpeace nominated for BBC food award

Posted by jamie - 7 November 2006 at 7:11pm - Comments

Trashing the Amazon for fast food The global campaign to highlight how food companies were complicit in destroying the Amazon rainforest through their use of Amazon-grown soya made headlines around the world and clearly touched the hearts of Radio 4 listeners because we've been nominated for a gong in their Food and Farming Awards.

Most of the categories are turned over to shops and producers who go that extra mile in provide quality grub but we come under the Derek Cooper Special Award for, and I quote, "their work raising awareness of the ethical and environmental dimensions of food production, in particular their soya campaign". It was a public vote that got us into the nominations but it's the steely minds of the judging panel that will make the final decision, and with distinguished competition in the form of the Caroline Walker Trust and the Rt Hon Michael Meacher MP, it'll be tough. Tune in Sunday 26 November to see if we win.

 

Article tagged as: amazon, awards, BBC, forests, soya

Yet more illegal rainforest timber found in Westminster

Posted by admin - 28 September 2006 at 8:00am - Comments
Following our expose at the Cabinet Office, more illegal timber has been found in Westminster

You couldn't make it up. After having been exposed no less than three times already for using illegal timber in their building projects, Tony Blair's government has done it again.

Article tagged as: forests, government, houses of parliament, illegal timber, newsnight, papua new guinea

Finland joins the Golden Chainsaw hall of infamy

Posted by jamie - 25 September 2006 at 8:00am - Comments

 

Finland joins the Golden Chainsaw hall of infamy

The Golden Chainsaws are becoming something of a Greenpeace tradition. They're not annual, they're not voted for by a secret cabal of society members, but when it comes to wanton destruction of forest landscapes, they ensure the efforts of those responsible do not go unremarked.

Article tagged as: finland, forests, illegal timber, russia
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