The Tasmanian Greens have been accused of picking and choosing science to justify their calls for an end to deforestation in the State. The Greens made their call for an end to deforestation in line with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report. Source: Timberbiz
But Tasmania’s Resources Minister Guy Barnett said that Tasmania doesn’t undertake deforestation.
“Tasmania’s sustainable forest industry is not engaged in deforestation. Our wood is harvested, and our forests are regrown making timber the ultimate renewable,” he said.
“Either the Greens know this, and they are choosing to deliberately misrepresent Tasmania’s sustainable forest industry, or they are frighteningly uninformed.
“Either option is deeply concerning.”
Mr Barnett said that the Tasmanian Government had committed $250,000 in the 2021-22 State Budget for a Carbon Farming Advice Rebate and $900,000 to expand the Landcare Action Grants to include carbon initiatives.
“While the Greens are agreeing with the IPCC as a source of truth, they must also accept the IPCC’s published view that sustainable management of forests, including a mixed strategy of conservation and timber production, is more likely to be optimal for atmospheric carbon reduction,” he said.
This view was shared by the Food and Agricultural Organisation, and the International Energy Agency.
“In fact, it’s the view shared by just about everyone except the Greens,” Mr Barnett said.
“The Greens can’t just get to pick and choose science. They either support the findings of the IPCC or they do not,” he said.
