Vol. 409 No. 3
14 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Energy the steps, if any, he is taking at international level to discourage the destruction of tropical rain forests which can lead to soil erosion, desertification and flooding as well as contributing to the intensification of the greenhouse effect.
We are very supportive of measures to restrain the widespread destruction of tropical rain forests.
My Department contribute actively to the forestry committees of a number of international organisations concerned with the issue of tropical timber. These include, in addition to the EC, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and the International Tropical Timber Organisation.
Does the Minister accept that Ireland imports 50,000 tonnes of timber annually and, furthermore, that more than 40 per cent of the world's tropical forests have now been destroyed and that irreparable damage will be done to the environment if this trend continues at its present pace?
Any decision by Ireland to take specific initiatives would be counterproductive and would lead to duplication of effort and interorganisational conflict. Furthermore, the destruction of tropical forests is a complex issue and timber imports are only an element of the problem. More significant problems arise, for instance, from the increasing demand for agricultural land. Concentrating on the timber trade might be counterproductive in the overall context.
I should like the Minister to consider two actions in relation to the problem such is the possibility of devastating consequences on the environment. At national level, would the Minister accept that there has been a 65 per cent increase in the consumption of tropical hardwoods during the past decade, and would he examine the use of alternatives to tropical hardwoods, such as native hardwoods or non-toxic pressure-treated softwoods? I accept, of course, that Ireland is not going to change the world, but we do have a voice. At international level, would the Minister pursue a proposal made a few years ago involving the imposition of a levy on imports of tropical hardwoods and the use of that levy for the better conservation of tropical rain forests in producer countries?
There are two proposals, one at national level and the other at international level. I am sure the Deputy is aware of the extensive afforestation programme which the Government have undertaken and which is achieving outstanding success resulting in a dramatic increase in the acreage under forestry each year. It is my intention to increase the percentage of hardwoods that are being planted here annually. The figure was very low. I have given the industry and Coillte Teoranta a target of achieving 10 per cent of forested areas in hardwoods as distinct from softwoods.
There is a lot of development in improving the quality of our softwoods and there is a huge increase in the sale of Irish manufactured timber products now. It is particularly noticeable in the building industry. Up to ten or 15 years ago a very small percentage of home produced timber was used in the construction industry. That has changed completely because of an improvement in techniques and treatment and because of the way in which the industry has developed. Irish timber has become much more competitive and it is displacing large volumes of imported timber. I hope we will soon be net exporters of timber. We are trying to make our contribution to finding a solution to the problem of deforestation in the rain forests. This week, at a meeting of the International Tropical Timber Organisation, an Irish project proposal, which was submitted with my support, involving the examination of the merits of planting good quality hardwoods in the tropics on appropriate land, together with a means to attract necessary funding, is under discussion. Our officials are out there actively working to try to find solutions.
