Reply #10: "G8 Ministers Pledge to Curb Illegal Logging, Climate Change" - March 21 [View All]

[Nothing Without Hope]

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2005/2005-03-21-05.asp

G8 Ministers Pledge to Curb Illegal Logging, Climate Change

DERBY, UK, March 21, 2005 (ENS) - The world's eight wealthiest nations agreed Friday to tackle climate change in Africa and illegal logging. These policy decisions came emerged from the first-ever joint meeting of environment and development ministers of the Group of Eight Countries, or G8.

The ministerial meeting at Breadsall Priory, Derbyshire was held under the UK Government's G8 Presidency, and it was a prelude to this year's annual G8 Summit taking place July 6 to 8 in Gleneagles, Scotland.

On illegal logging, ministers agreed to tackle both the supply and demand sides by taking steps to halt the import and marketing of such timber, through border control and voluntary bilateral agreements.

But legislative action to prevent imports of illegal timber proposed by the UK in earlier discussions did not appear in the final ministerial statement.

Some observers blame the United States for blocking legislative action on illegal timber. A confidential U.S. State Department strategy document revealed on BBC Newsnight March 15 stated opposition to "ineffective or unworkable actions, especially on the demand side."

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This is a very long article - there is MUCH more at the link.