Will Australia Sign on to Forests and Climate Leaders Partnership force Queensland to address the deforestation crisis?

Released 8 November 2022

The Queensland Conservation Council welcomes the Australian Government signing the Forests and Climate Leaders Partnership at the Conference of Parties in Egypt yesterday. 

The question is whether this commitment will lead to action to address out of control deforestation in Queensland? 

The UK-led voluntary partnership was formally launched at COP27 in Egypt to maintain the momentum of global action on climate change through forest-based initiatives.  

“We congratulate the federal government for being a founding member of the Forests and Climate Leaders Partnership, said Dave Copeman, Queensland Conservation Council’s Director. 

“We are calling on the Queensland Government to acknowledge this commitment, and immediately act with the Commonwealth to address deforestation. This partnership must make the necessary regulatory changes and incentives for landholders needed to end the land clearing crisis in Queensland.” 

Queensland is at the forefront of the land clearing crisis with the highest rates of deforestation in the country, with over 680,000 hectares of forests and woodland cleared in 2018/2019. Over 13% of Queensland’s total emissions come from the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector, 22.8 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e), making Queensland the largest source of this type of emissions in Australia. 

“Here In Queensland, it’s clear that both federal and state environment protection laws are failing to protect species and without stronger laws and better incentives we will continue to see extinctions driven by deforestation.  

“This global agreement reinforces the Queensland Government’s existing promise to Queenslanders that it will end the broadscale land clearing that is driving both extinctions and climate change. .

“Queensland has an opportunity to protect iconic native forests and sequester millions of tonnes of carbon through the protection and regeneration of forests. Queensland is home to over 1000 threatened species, many of which rely on forests for their survival. 

This global declaration is an opportunity to protect our native forests. 

Media Contact Dave Copeman  0408841595