14 December 2011
Observers have welcomed the surprisingly positive outcomes of the UN climate talks in Durban, but cautioned that several blanks remain to be filled in. Among them, the emission reductions New Zealand and Australia will commit to when Kyoto 1 comes to an end on 31 December 2012.
Forestry News
Upper Hutt mill the latest to close
9 December 2011
Ranex Group, a privately owned company based in Christchurch, is closing the Upper Hutt sawmill operated by its subsidiary Eurocell Limited. Potentially useful plant from the mill will be stored at its remaining operation in Nelson.Does Durban matter?
2 December 2011
The 2011 United Nations Climate Change Conference is now underway in Durban, South Africa. The likelihood of parties managing to make progress on a successor or extension to the current Kyoto protocol appears slim to zero.Forest land values up, pastoral down
28 November 2011
Forest land values have risen but there have been marked falls for pastoral farming, cropping, horticulture, lifestyle blocks and residential properties Gisborne District Council was told at its monthly meeting last week.Australia: Illegal logging Bill before parliament
24 November 2011
The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) says a Bill designed to curb the import of products from illegally logged forests needs to be considered carefully, to ensure it does not impose unnecessary and costly regulation on the Australian wood products industry.EU carbon price forecasts slashed
23 November 2011
Growing fears about the EU economy have prompted a new wave of downgrades of carbon price forecasts – including a prediction by UBS that prices could slump to €3 ($4.06) next year. Other analysts are critical of the forecasts, saying they are unrealistically low.Longer Christmas break for logging crews
14 November 2011
Some log harvesting contractors may be taking a longer Christmas break this summer due to an over-supply of logs to the Chinese market.Carbon tax grim news for Australian forest industry
9 November 2011
The Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) says this week's passing of carbon tax legislation in Australia has left its members with little to smile about.National offers offsetting and to explore averaging
9 November 2011
The National Party will introduce offsetting and explore averaging for forest owners under the ETS if it wins the General Election. Agricultural emissions will not be included in the ETS until practical emission reduction technologies are available and more progress is made on reducing greenhouse gas emissions internationally.