Climate Change Commission Draft Advice

We have lodged a submission to the Climate Change Commission in respect of its Draft Advice paper.

The Draft Advice suggests policies that will set out pathways for New Zealand to achieve its Greenhouse Gas emissions targets.

Regardless of members’ views on Greenhouse Gas emissions there were matters covered in the Draft Advice paper that could potentially impact the sawmilling industry and so it was important for us to be able to take advantage of the opportunity to make our points in the following areas;

·         While the Commission points out that we cannot rely solely on forestry to get the country to achieve its emission targets, forestry does remain a significant factor.  In this respect we made the point that a vibrant sawmilling industry is a critical part of the forestry sector.

·         The role of sawmilling in the context of actions to meet our emissions targets falls into;

o   Sawmilling will be a major producer of woodchip and other materials needed for biomass to produce biofuels and other biomaterials that substitute for fuels and materials produced from non-renewable and unsustainable resources

o   Sawn timber is a building material that should be used in preference to alternatives over a very wide range of uses because it is based on a renewable resource.  We felt the Commission focussed on efficient energy use in buildings and overlooked the importance of using timber and wood products instead of alternative materials in construction

o   Life cycle analyses demonstrate that timber has superior whole of life properties  

·         That the Commission should tailor its recommendations to align with other government initiatives in respect of;

o   MBIE’s Building for Climate Change programme

o   The government’s procurement policies under the Climate Emergency programme

o   The Forestry Industry Transition Plan

·         That the Commission should promote recognition of carbon credits on Harvested Wood Products and the accrual of those credits to sawmillers as a tool for encouraging investment and growth in the industry

28 March 2021