Member News
7th December 2009ePolitix.com speaks to Dr James Cooper, head of government affairs at the Woodland Trust, about the Copenhagen climate change conference.
Why is the Copenhagen conference important and what does the Woodland Trust believe it should achieve?
The Copenhagen conference is a hugely important moment for the international community, which needs to agree a framework for tackling climate change.
The Woodland Trust believes that success at the conference should be judged by the implementation of a number of actions. We want to see absolute protection for all low-growth forests, no net loss of all forest area, sustainable management of existing forests, international trade in unsustainably produced timber to be made illegal, and we want a simple long-term financial solution to make protecting forests more worthwhile than their destruction. It does look like there is real hope of a deal here.
For the UK government to provide credible leadership on the international stage, action needs to be taken at home to protect our equivalent of the rainforests: ancient woodland. Regrettably the UK is one of the least wooded countries in the European Union with only 12 per cent coverage, compared to the European average of 44 per cent. Of that 12 per cent, only two per cent is ancient woodland, which is a vital habitat for wildlife, and of tremendous cultural and historical significance. Those ancient woods are the foundations on which we should seek to expand with ambitious woodland creation.
However, over the last decade, an area of ancient woodland the size of Birmingham has come under threat from development. That represents 100 square miles and, even today, when there is enhanced recognition of the value of ancient woodland, we are still contesting 160 cases where over 400 ancient woods have come under threat from development.
Any policy, and its implementation, must ensure that the current safeguards for ancient woods are supplemented, strengthened and delivered on the ground. This will then enable the UK government to speak with real authority on the issue of deforestation.
How can politicians act to prevent drastic climate change?
The Woodland Trust wants to see real leadership from all political parties on climate change. We are delighted that there is a consensus at Westminster that supported the Climate Change Act and its targets. What is now needed is for these targets – cutting greenhouse gases and enabling adaptation – to be delivered.
Indeed, it is essential that the UK doubles native woodland cover, as a method for removing carbon from the atmosphere and adapting to the impacts of climate change.
Safeguarding our eco-systems services, which are so precious in terms of improving air and water quality and providing desirable places to live, is also essential to sustaining quality of life in the UK.
We welcome the signs of a growing recognition across government of the importance of woodland creation. This is exemplified by the government's Low-Carbon Transition Plan and the Forestry Commission's recently published report on combating climate change. These do outline some of the benefits of creating new woods. What we need now is a serious increase in planting figures because, incredibly, figures for planting native woodland have actually declined – and almost halved in the last five years or so.
In what ways has the Woodland Trust been involved in campaigning to promote a better understanding of climate change?
The Woodland Trust campaigns to raise public awareness of climate change and its threat to woodland, people and the natural world. We are members of the Stop Climate Chaos coalition and, ahead of Copenhagen, the Trust is taking part in 'The Wave', which is a positive mass demonstration of support calling for the UK to lead on a greener, safer future for forests globally.
One area where we continue to campaign strongly is against the expansion of Stansted Airport. The expansion of Stansted won't only threaten the government's aim to meet its carbon-reduction targets; it will also witness the destruction and degradation of 19 hectares of ancient woodland. This brings us back to the issue of addressing deforestation at home in order to be able to speak with authority on the international stage.
The Trust also manages a scheme that chronicles changes to nature, called 'Nature's Calendar'. It is not only a great method for educating young children about the threat of climate change, but it also enables the Woodland Trust to get an idea of how climate change is affecting woods, trees and species.
Alongside raising public awareness we also liaise directly with government and parliamentarians to raise our concerns. In July this year Peter Luff MP kindly hosted a reception on our behalf, celebrating the Trust's work to create new native woods and highlighting our ambitious plans to double native woodland cover. At that event we set out our vision and our manifesto entitled 'Woodland Creation - Why it matters'. We are, subsequently, pleased to see this agenda being taken up by opposition parties – Boris Johnson's tree-planting plans are a good example of this – as well as the government.
Ahead of Woodland Trust's Tree O'Clock tree planting event, why do you believe that tree planting is such a vital tool in mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change?
Climate-change impacts can already be seen in the growing instances of drought on oak trees in the South East of England. It is essential that we all work together to reduce carbon emissions and the future impacts of climate change.
Tree planting is a really useful tool for removing carbon from the atmosphere, which the government's Low Carbon Transition Plan recognises. It says that if an additional 10,000 hectares of woodland were to be created over 15 years, those trees could remove up to 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide between now and 2050.
New native woods enhance air quality by removing pollutants from the atmosphere, they aid water management, they mitigate the urban heat island effect, they provide new habitats for wildlife and give people the opportunity to enjoy the natural world.
An accessible wood, near to where people live, offers scope for outdoor recreation, relaxation and reflection, and creates places where people actually want to live. For this reason the Trust has always been keen on creating new woods close to where people live and engaging people in planting a tree, which is a symbolic act of optimism for the future. Our Tree for All campaign has engaged two million children in the planting of seven million trees.
Community action like this is essential in raising public understanding of environmental issues.
What should be the policy priorities for the next government following the Copenhagen conference?
Following the Copenhagen conference, the Woodland Trust wants to see the government deliver on the ground and continue to provide world leadership, whilst ensuring that our own back yard is in order. That means putting the UK on track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020, and 80 per cent by 2050.
We also want to see the next government leading the way in the drive towards a low-carbon economy and society. In regard to domestic forestry we want to see all the political parties adopt the target of doubling native woodland cover over the next 50 years; and we want politicians to bring together the public, private and voluntary sectors to make this a reality.
Doubling native woodland cover will require the creation of around 15,000 hectares of woodland a year for the next 50 years and that will, in turn, will provide benefits to society. It now requires political leadership to make this happen.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd
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