PRESS/SOCIAL MEDIA RELEASE
- Cursory review of FSC's controversial certifications completely fails to question false premise that primary and old-growth forest logging is ever "well-managed", instead calling for better training manuals for ancient forest destruction
November 3, 2008 By Earth's Newsdesk, a project of Ecological Internet
http://www.ecoearth.info/newsdesk/
CONTACT: Dr. Glen Barry, glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org
(Seattle, WA) -- Today Greenpeace International released a report entitled "Holding the Line with FSC"[1] which reaffirms Greenpeace's unflinching support for the Forest Stewardship Council's (FSC) past and on-ongoing industrial first-time logging of hundreds of millions of hectares of primary and old-growth forests. Greenpeace and other "forest protection" groups like the Rainforest Action Network and WWF continue to provide crucial greenwash for the false premise that ancient forest logging is desirable and can ever be considered "well- managed".
Greenpeace was the target of a series of protests in 2007 led by Ecological Internet, as Greenpeace held FSC's international chairmanship, regarding their continued support for ancient forest logging given widespread irregularities. At that time they agreed to review problematic FSC certifications, and to respond to criticism regarding FSC's dependence upon ancient forest logging. Their new report fails miserably on both counts.
"Greenpeace today released a one page report, with no mention by name of any specific failed FSC certification (of which there are many); and a 12 page, 80 item laundry list of bureaucratic measures to try, yet again, to make acceptable destroying millions of year old primeval forests for throw away consumer products," notes Dr. Glen Barry, Ecological Internet's President.
"The review's only reference to primary forests is that better training manuals are needed for their destruction[2]. All primary forests are of high conservation value, and it is pathetic and tragic that Greenpeace continues to greenwash ancient forest logging."
MORE
In light of abrupt climate change and emerging science further highlighting the importance of primary and old-growth forests, the report continues Greenpeace's obstinate and undemocratic stonewalling of any meaningful self-reflection or discussion of embracing a campaign to end industrial ancient forest logging as a keystone response to the biodiversity and climate crises. RAN has also promised to review their FSC support, and is cautioned to avoid continued greenwash of the sort demonstrated by Greenpeace.
"As the world is faced with spiraling abrupt climate change and ecosystem collapse, Greenpeace and friends have failed the biosphere. The mainstream environmental movement has shown themselves to be unfit and unable to pursue the full range of ecologically sufficient policies -- including working to end ancient forest logging -- to achieve global ecological sustainability. If you support Greenpeace, RAN or WWF -- you might as well be holding the chainsaw cutting down ancient forests to make your lawn furniture," concludes Dr. Glen Barry.
[1]
http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/files/pdfs/forests/HoldingtheLine_LR_ENG.pdf
[2] From the poor quality data FSC provides to the public, Ecological Internet estimates that 60% of FSC's timber comes from ancient forests. Yet the only mention of this issue in Greenpeace review is a cursory mention on page 7, is that "FSC should produce guidance materials and training in relation to auditing, managing and planning for... HCVF" (High Conservation Value Forests).
ENDS
Dr. Glen Barry is a global spokesperson on behalf of environmental sustainability policy. Ecological Internet provides the world's leading climate and environment portals at
http://www.climateark.org/ and
http://www.ecoearth.info/ . Dr. Barry frequently conducts interviews on the latest climate, forest and water policy developments and can be reached at: glenbarry@ecologicalinternet.org.
Note Ecological Internet's NEW address:
Dr. Glen Barry
Ecological Internet, Inc. PO Box 9704 Seattle, WA 98109
DISCUSS RELEASE:
http://www.rainforestportal.org/issues/2008/11/greenpeace_reaffirms_support_f.asp
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Ancient+Forest
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=logging
http://freepage.twoday.net/search?q=Glen+Barry
