US Plans to Wreck British Initiative on Illegal Logging

[chlamor]

US tries to sink forests plan

British initiative on illegal logging opposed

Paul Brown and Roger Harrabin
Wednesday March 16, 2005

The US plans to wreck a British initiative to commit the G8 states to combatting illegal logging in the world's threatened rainforests, a leaked memorandum revealed last night.

The development secretary, Hilary Benn, wants G8 environment and development ministers meeting in Derby tomorrow and on Friday to insist that all timber bought by official bodies in rich nations comes from properly managed forests.

The British initiative was prompted by Indonesia, which said corruption there was so rampant that the authorities did not have the power to tackle the supply of timber by criminal gangs. Indonesian government ministers urged rich nations to reduce demand for illegal supplies by requiring proper certificates showing wood had come from properly managed forests.

But industry lobbyists in the US have resisted moves to certify timber. A US state department memo leaked to the BBC's Newsnight shows that the US will refuse to sign up to the Benn initiative.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/conservation/story/0,13369,1438522,00.html

[expatriot]

1. We are against illegal logging; we think all logging should be legal.

[depakid]

2. Evil empire anyone?

Hopefully, the rest of the world will simply ignore the US, follow the international community and continue to isolate the US and (if they're smart) pull their investments off this sinking ship-

The more they insulate themselves against America's trainwreck- the better off they will be in the long run....

[w4rma]

3. The GOP whackos now even openly support breaking the law. (nt)

[Ruffhowse]

4. I hate this country. I hope it is destroyed soon by its own greed.

[Webster Green]

5. Not too surprising......

Everything BushCo Inc. does is illegal.

An added bonus for them, on top of the money they make, is a chance to irritate all the lefty "tree huggers".

A special place in Hell awaits these folks.

[Snap]

6. P A R T Y !!!!

Hey Y'all, it's a fuck'in free for all.
Rules, scmools.
Y E H A W !!!!!