In the words of wisdom of Gaylord Nelson, American senator, Governor of Wisconsin & founder of Earth Day, “The wealth of the nation is its air, water, soil, forests, minerals, rivers, lakes, oceans, scenic beauty, wildlife habitats, and biodiversity… that’s all there is.” It prompted The United Nations General Assembly proclaim March 21 as the International Day of Forests in 2012 to celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests.
Countries are encouraged to undertake local, national and international efforts to organise activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns.
It is on record that forests cover nearly a third of the Earth’s land surface, equivalent to the combined areas of Brazil, Canada, China, and the United States. These four billion hectares of forests are not just vast swathes of greenery. They are critical ecosystems, providing habitats for most of the planet’s species and livelihoods for nearly one billion people. Healthy forests play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by acting as carbon sinks, absorbing billions of metric tonnes of CO2 annually. However, they are under threat due to deforestation and degradation.
The International Day of Forests is a worldwide celebration of our global woodlands and an opportunity to recognise the triumphs and challenges contained in these diverse habitats. Nearly 80% of our planet’s biodiversity is packed in forested areas, which account for just 30% of global surface area. They include species as diverse as the brown bear and mountain gorilla, and regions range from the mighty Amazon Rainforest to our local woodlands right here in Ealing Southall. However, despite their critical role, forests are under worldwide threat from deforestation and the UK Government is spending billions funding one of the greatest threats to forests worldwide – the bioenergy industry.
As the world is plunged celebrating International Day of Forests, ambient words of Lewis Carroll came rushing to scribe’s mind, “I wonder if the snow loves the trees and fields, that it kisses them so gently? And then it covers them up snug, you know, with a white quilt; and perhaps, it says, ‘Go to sleep, darlings, till the summer comes again.”
The UK Government has just consulted on extending these biomass subsidies – due to end in 2027 – beyond then. The proposals could see these billions in funding for tree-burning extended indefinitely.
The theme for this year is ”Forests and innovation: new solutions for a better world”, and the fundamental role of technology and innovation. But energy technology – namely bioenergy supported by the UK Government – is a significant threat to the world’s forests.
Another major initiative in UK has been undertaken by the Ealing, Southall MP Virendra Sharma who while supporting the programme said, “On the International Day of Forests I am taking a stand against all subsidies for burning wood in power stations. With Drax aggressively lobbying for Billions of pounds in new subsidies, it’s more vital than ever to stand against this destructive industry. I have therefore today signed the Stop Burning Trees MPs Pledge and “support an end to all subsidies for wood burning in power stations.”
Drax so far have received £6.5 billion in subsidies, and Lynemouth have received £600,000 at the expense of bill payers. Drax is the world’s biggest tree burner and the UK’s single largest CO2 emitter. Much of the wood comes from the clear-felling of some of the world’s most biodiverse forests in the Southern USA, Canada, Estonia and Latvia. Generating electricity from burning trees is no better than burning coal in terms of emissions; continuing subsidies for wood biomass is actively contributing to the climate crisis. Sharma has been inspired by the words of Robert Stevenson, Scottish novelist and travel writer,, ““It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit.” It is these lines which prompted Sharma to pledge to save forests.
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