Climate change, and how we deal with it, is one of the most important issues of our time. The forest, wood, paper and timber products industry makes a major contribution to Australia’s economy and environment.
Forestry delivers many environmental benefits and these can help us both build a more sustainable economy and adapt to climate change.
Forestry’s role in reducing the impact of climate change
As they grow, all trees and all forests draw in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Forests are natural carbon stores. Through sustainable forest management, long term stores of carbon can be increased and can assist us to manage emissions from other industrial processes.
Only one quarter of Australia’s forests are available for harvest. By harvesting those forests, regrowing them and making wood products that store carbon into the future, our sustainable forest industries reduce Australia’s total CO2 and other global warming emissions by a total of around 10 per cent.
Australia's forest industry has worked hard over recent years to achieve a position of assured sustainability. This commitment to responsible and sustainable forest management is the cornerstone of our industry.
To assist the industry and the Australian community to understand the important role that sustainable forest management plays in reducing the impact of climate change, ForestWorks has developed a range of information materials on the exciting future for the industry, the people who work in it and benefits Australians can enjoy, now and into the future.
Forest industry jobs – into the future
With climate change as a consideration, sustainable forest industry jobs will become increasingly sought after, secure and a genuine opportunity for all Australians to make a difference in the world.
Unlike many industries that are energy intensive, employment in low energy, high carbon storage industries like forestry and forest products will be among the most sought after, especially in regional Australia.
Whether its seed technology work in a nursery, landscape planning for future forests, sustainable forest harvesting, providing the timber for wood products, operating the technology that manufactures the nation’s building products and furniture or selling timber to consumers, every job in the modern forestry industry has a strong future.
The Asia Pacific Inaugural Climate Change Conference 2008 Papers
Tuesday 19 August 2008
Conference Opening
John Sutton, National Secretary, CFMEU (not available)
‘Accounting for Reforestation in the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme’
Sven Rand, Manager, Carbon Accounting, FEA Plantations
Nick O’Brien, Director, Resource Management Systems, New Forests
Nick Cameron, Manager, Investor Relations, Forests NSW
Special Addresses
Elizabeth D’Carvaelhas, CEO, Brazilian Paper IndustryAssociation (BRACELPA) – Brazil
William V. Street Jr, Representative WoodworkersDepartment, International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, Member of the Board of Directors of the Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC) – USA
Wednesday Afternoon Working Groups
‘Climate Change Outcomes for Australian Communities’
As they grow, all trees and all forests draw in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Forests are natural carbon stores. Through sustainable forest management, long term stores of carbon can be increased and can assist us to manage emissions from other industrial processes.
