The National Association of Forest Industries in Australia has welcomed incoming Prime Mininster Kevin Rudd’s move to ratify the Kyoto Protocol. Rudd reiterated his intentions at the Bali Conference of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which started this week. NAFI CEO Catherine Murphy said forestry was the only carbon positive industry and plays a significant role in reducing greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.

“The use of wood waste as a renewable energy resource also has the potential to provide a significant amount of green energy to the national electricity grid for Australian consumers,” she said. “However, the rules adopted for the forestry industry under the Kyoto Protocol do not recognise the full benefit of the forestry sector in providing a solution to climate change. “I look forward to working with the Prime Minister and ministers of the Rudd Government in developing the post Kyoto framework to ensure the full value of the benefits of forestry in addressing climate change are recognised.”