CFMEU FOREST AND FOREST PRODUCTS DIVISION NATIONAL POLICY ON ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ENDORSED BY THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE 24TH November 1993 Environment and Sustainable Development Policy This document sets out the Policy of the CFMEU Forest and Furnishing Products Division on Environment and Sustainable Development for the information of Members and Officials. Included with the Policy is an introduction which provides a background for the reading and application of the Policy. This Policy is binding on all CFMEU Forest and Forest Product Division Members and Officials. Any queries about the Policy should be directed to either the Branch or National Divisional Office. 1. INTRODUCTION The Forest and Furnishing Products Industry, Australia`s second largest manufacturing industry, has the capacity to generate investment, create employment and have a substantial favourable effect on the nation`s balance of payments. This can be achieved by capitalising on a renewable resource in an area where Australia can be genuinely internationally competitive. Consequently no ESD decision on forest use should place Australian industry at a comparative disadvantage with international trading partners. The CFMEU Forest and Furnishing Products Division policy is centred upon the principles of sustainable development, upon maintaining the integrity of the natural environment, preserving ecological diversity, creating jobs and enhancing the quality of working life for F & F P Division members. Australia's forests, even before European settlement, covered less than 10% of the total land mass. Australia now has 43 million hectares of forested land covering 5% of the total land area. Regrowth from past logging covers about 60% of the forest area. The remaining 40% is either unlogged or has beeen only lightly logged. The forest estate is divided almost equally between four tenures: private ownership (11.3 million hectares); state forests (11.5 million hectares); conservation reserves (9.8 million hectares); and other crown land (10.6 million hectares). Within state forest, about 7 million hectares are available for logging. Each year about 200,000 hectares of state forest or other crown land are logged and regenerated as part of sustainable yield forestry operation; this is less than 1% of the total area in these two tenures. Forest use and management practices in Australia have taken significant steps towards ecologically sustainable forestry. While at least 20 native mammals have become extinct since European settlement, and another 40 mammals and more than 27 species of birds are currently considered to be in danger of extinction, there have been no known extinctions of Australian native species as a result of forestry operations. However, loss of species has occurred through forest reduction due to agriculture and urban development. A number of major environmental problems, including soil degredation, urban renewal, coastal zone management and nature conservation in arid and semi-arid zones, exist in Australia today. The importance of these issues has been masked by the preoccupation of the community with debate on environment matters affecting the Forest and Furnishing Products Industry. The Forest and Furnishing Products Division therefore welcomes the Prime Minister's 1992 Statement on Environment that recognises and addresses the majo environmental issues affecting Australia. The Forest and Furnishing Products Division believes the issues identified in the Prime Minister's statement need to be matched with the same close attention as that paid to environmental issues affecting the Forest and Furnishing Products Industry. 2. ECOLOGICAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Forests have many compatible uses: as a source of timber for the forest and forest products industry; as a resource for recreational activity; as a prime habitat for flora and fauna; as a catchment area for water supply and as an important component in a set of ecological processes which sustain life. The CFMEU Forest and Furnishing Products Division recognises that the concepts of sustainability and sustainable development have become integral parts of discussion of future management and development of the forest resource and supports development of Australia's forests that is consistent with these concepts There is no intrinsic conflict between multiple purpose and primary use allocation of forests from the viewpoint of ecologically sustainable development. Ecologically sustainable forest use may involve single dominant uses such as intensive timber production or nature conservation through to multiple forest uses. The principles of ecologically sustainable forest use will require the development of a policy framework and strategies for both private and public land which: a. maintains ecological processes within the forests; b. maintains biodiversity; c. ensures representative reserves of all major ecosystems; and d. optimises commercial and other non-commercial benefits for uses. The Forest and Furnishing Products Division whilst supporting the recommendation of the National Plantation's Advisory Committee recognises that plantations are not a feasible alternative to logging in native forests. The Forest and Furnishing Products Industry is Australia's most sustainable resource industry based on the ecologically sustainable management of Australia's native forests. Therefore the CFMEU Forest and Furnishing Products Division supports:- 1. The processes established under the National Forest Poicy Statement to ensure the development of the Forest and Furnishing Products Industry in an ecologically sustainable manner. 2. Adoption by State forestry agencies of the National Principles of Forest Practices Related to Wood Production in Native Forests developed by the Australian Forestry Council. 3. Standard Codes of Practice which are subject to periodic review, applicable to both public and private land. These codes must be developed in consultation with industry unions. 4. Harvesting rates to ensure that wood production is based on sustainable yield. 5. Harvesting rotations and practices that maximise the potential value of forest produce. 6. That coupe size be determined by soil type, stability and slope class. 7. Management practices which do not place the biodiversity of the forest at risk. 8. Inplementation of the initiatives announced in the Prime Minister's Statement on the Environment. 9. Supports implementation of recommendations of the National Plantation's Advisory Committee. The Forest and Furnishing Products Division calls upon State and Federal Governments to ensure that the activities of government agencies responsible for environment matters are conducted consistent with the principles of the National Forest Policy Statement. 3. INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT The forest and forest products industry provides a wide range of goods and services to the community. These include veneer and plywood, appearance grade timbers, structural timbers, wood based panelboards, pulpwood for hardboard and paper products. The provision of these goods requires an integrated forest management strategy requiring long rotations of up to 75-150 years to ensure sustainable use. Expansion of this essential industry provides an opportunity to make a fundamental attack on Australia`s foremost economic problems unemployment, the balance of payments and investment. In the present environment the industry is characterised by low levels of investment, minimal value-added processing, diminishing competiveness and a failure of the industry to restructure. The potential exists for the industry to make major investments in world scale plant for the production of pulp and paper, timber and reconstituted wood products.A major constraint on investment in world scale projects based on the forest resource is the projected resource shortfall. The CFMEU Forest and Furnishing Products Division seeks further investment in value-added manufacturing opportunities for sawmillers and processors to increase the efficiency of forest utilisation. This requires a degree of certainty that wood resources be competitively priced and available in the long term. Forest owners and managers need to know that their investment in the long-term management of forests in accord with the principles of sustainable forest use, will not be put at risk through the withdrawal of resource access or regulatory restrictions on market opportunities. The CFMEU Forest and Furnishing Products Division supports the development of a Forest and Furnishing Products Indusry that: * recognises that the industry needs to achieve "self sufficiency" in forest products to overcome the present trade imbalance in the industry; * provides a long term economic model for the development of the industry; * provides long term estimates as to the resource required for the industry; * recognises the need for resource security in the industry; * establishes a single complementary Federal, State process for the resolution of conflict over resource use; * recognises that logging in native forests is ecologically sustainable; * recognises that the development of pulp and paper mills should be determined by the ecological acceptability of mills in specific locations. The CFMEU Forest and Furnishing Products Division therefore seeks: 1. Wood sales based on market values; 2. Complementary State and Federal resource guarantee legislation; 3. Guarantees from investors and employers on employment security and investment programs; 4. Consistent Commonwealth and State guidelines which allow for full public participation; 5. The recognition of award restructuring, skills development and training and ocupational health and safety as an integral part of ecologically sustainable development. 6. The tripartite development of a forest and forest industries growth plan; 7. Industry development consistent with best management environmental practice; 8. Research into ecologically sustainable processes in the forest and forest products industry. 9. The Forest and Furnishing Products Division calls upon the Australian Government: 1. To refrain from using any further export licences for pine sawlogs in the national interest. 2. To establish a tri-parite advisory committee to examine the issues involved with exporting pine logs and to advise government on future policy and development opportunities for the Austalian softwood industry. 3. To give priority to import replacements over exports. 10. The Forest and Furnishing Products Division calls upon Federal, State and local government to promote the use of Australian timber products. 4. ROLE OF THE CFMEU FOREST AND FOREST PRODUCTS DIVISION The long term interests of workers in an ecologically sustainable industry depend upon developing a forest products industry that maximises job creation, job security, and improves the living standards of workers in the industry. The CFMEU Forest and Furnishing Products Division is committed to:- * the protection of the right to organise; * the improvement of award wages and conditions; * improved standards of occupational health and safety; * the right to consultation in worksites and industry forums; * the right to skill development and training. These factors are an essential component of ecologically sustainable development in the forest and forest products industry. The CFMEU Forest and Furnishing Products Division is committed to:- a. The education of members and the community on ecologically sustainable forestry use; b. Union participation in the development, monitoring and enforcement of environmental guidelines, forest practices and regulations in the forest and forest products industry; c. The promotion and implementation of national and international codes of practice on ecologically sustainable forestry use; d. Campaigning in support of industry development in accordance with the Union's policy. These campaigns shall include the participation of workers in the industry under the coordination of the Divisional National Office and Branches; e. Taking all action necessary to enforce standards and ensure that the interests of workers are protected where it is identified that codes and standards are breached or where codes and standards are inadequate. f. The establishment of a tripartite Forest and Furnishing Products Council; g. The negotiation of workplace environment agreements or environment clauses in enterprise agreements; h. The provision of resources from Governments to the Forest and Furnishing Products Division to implement its Environment and Sustainable Development Policy. 5. SOCIAL EQUITY Workers should not have to bear a disproportionate share of the costs associated with achieving ecologically sustainable development. A major flaw in much of the environment debate is the lack of consideration of social equity issues. This is particularly the case in respect of decisions that have major, adverse, employment implications and/or decisions that result in the social dislocation of communities dependent on the industry for their existence. The costs of economic and social dislocation are an integral part of ecologically sustainable development and not a consequential problem to solved by market forces. In particular the Forest and Furnishing Products Division recognises the importance of the industry to employment and development in regional areas and supports the recommendation of the Taskforce on Regional Development for the development of an industry statement on the Forest and Furnishing Products Industry. Therefore the CFMEU Forest and Furnishing Products Division seeks:- a. Social equity for all workers employed in industries directly or indirectly associated with forest and forest products; b. The phased implementation of ecologically sustainable development principles to minimise industry and community disruption; c. Union and community input into the development of forest use stategies; and d. Appropriate programs to assist in relocation,redeployment,retraining, and social adjustment.These programs must be monitored to ensure objectives are met. 6. INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS The CFMEU Forest and Furnishing Products Industry will seek to achieve through the Commonwealth Government, the A.C.T.U./ I.L.O. and by affiliation to international trade Union bodies the development and extension of Codes of Practice designed to protect forests, workers and communities who are dependent upon a viable and sustainable Forest and Furnishing Products Industry. 7. ENVIRONMENT GROUPS The CFMEU Forest and Furnishing Products Division recognises that most environmental organisations have made a significant contribution to promoting and protecting the environment. Environment issues will continue to develop and the Forest and Furnishing Products Division must ensure that the interests of its members are considered in all issues being debated. The CFMEU Forest and Furnishing Products Divisional Conference has determined that where the Union is required to respond to or act on environmental issues, such responses and actions will be co-ordinated through the National Divisional Office.