Timber pact aims to save Amazon

The Brazilian government, the state of Pará and the logging industry have agreed to work to ban the trade of illegal timber from the Amazon.

The Pact for Legal and Sustainable Timber is designed to replicate a similar deal struck by the soya industry in 2006, which prevents the sale of soya from newly deforested areas. It has been signed by the Brazilian environment ministry, the Association of Timber Exports Industries and the Pará Federation of Industries, amongst others.

The pact includes law enforcement measures to police the sale of illegal Amazon timber, and incentives for environmentally responsible companies and communities.

The state of Pará is the largest producer of Amazon timber in Brazil, with 45% of the Amazon’s logged timber originating there.

“The implementation of this agreement by industry and the government will be vital for establishing effective protection for the forests while preserving jobs,” said Paulo Adario, Greenpeace’s Amazon campaign director.

“It will benefit local communities and promote legal and sustainable logging activities.”

Greenpeace added that it hoped the pact would steer the EU into implementing Europe-wide legislation governing the trade of illegal timber through the European market, which the European Commission is set to discuss on July 23.