Green group the Worldwide Fund for Nature is calling on the UK government to take a lead role in establishing enviroinmentally sound timber procurement policies at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg from August 26-September 4.
With Tony Blair one of the first national leaders to confirm he would attend, WWF has drawn up an action plan to which it wants the government to commit.
Among its key requests is that he presents a public procurement policy for sustainable timber.
The WWF also wants the UK government to pledge that the country will have one million “sustainable homes” in the UK by 2012 and will back sustainable forestry initiatives in Africa and around the world.
Robert Napier, WWF-UK chief executive, said: ‘”Despite the promises made at Rio, we have not managed to halt environmental decline. Johannesburg is the opportunity for world leaders to make commitments which affect everyone.”
