Forestry sector is essential to achieve new net zero target
Friday 26 Sep 2025
Following the Commonwealth’s decision to pursue a 62-70
per cent below 2005 level net zero emission reduction target by
2025 – the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA)
is reminding the Government that it cannot be achieved without
the contribution of the forestry sector’s entire supply
chain, Chief Executive Officer of AFPA, Diana Hallam said.
“Australia’s former Chief Scientist, Professor Ian Chubb
said it best on the release of the Australian Carbon Credit Unit (ACCU)
review, stating, ‘the only known pathway known to science that has
immediate capacity – to remove greenhouse gases, particularly CO2
from the atmosphere is photosynthesis’. Australia’s
sustainable forestry sector grows, processes and manufactures trees into
a range of essential products – locking up carbon at scale,”
Diana Hallam said.
“We acknowledge the Government’s sector plans announced
alongside the new 2035 target – especially the Agriculture and
Land Sector Plan and Built Environment Sector Plan – which
point to enormous opportunities for forestry to be an essential
part of the decarbonisation solution. We will engage with the
Commonwealth to ensure forestry and its supply chain can help meet the
Government’s targets, with the biggest possible contribution."
Through timber in new home and building construction, wood-fibre based
packaging, paper and tissue products, power poles and even garden and
mulch products – alongside production trees absorbing carbon as
they grow – the forestry sector has the unique ability to help our
national economy decarbonise while providing essential employment and
economic contributions for the nation.
“We will work specifically with the Albanese Government on
existing initiatives like the Support Plantation Establishment Program
(SPEP), the continued and necessary contribution from sustainable native
forestry and how industry and the government can partner through the
processing and manufacturing cogs of our supply chain – as the
country works towards net zero 2025,” Diana Hallam concluded.
Source & image credit: Australian Forest Products Association
(AFPA)

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