News

One of the ways we can promote sustainable development is to highlight the links between deforestation and global poverty... Irish Aid is committed under its environment policy to ensure that climate change and other environmental challenges are responded to and this is why it is one of our four priority issues that cut across the work of all our programes.
Micheál Martin TD, Leader of Fianna Fail and (former) Minister for Foreign Affairs

State of the World's Forests Report 2011 19th February 2012 Considered together, these themes provide insights on the true contribution of forests to the creation of sustainable livelihoods and alleviation of poverty.

Ireland Still Failing the Forests 16th February 2012 Ireland has improved its performance somewhat, compared to 2007. A degree of inter-departmental collaboration is taking place, and the government has indicated its readiness to accept FLEGT-licensed timber once it becomes available. There's no indication of a public procurement policy for sustainable / legal timber products. The country is not involved with VPAs. Work is ongoing on the...

Cautious welcome for Irish Government support for REDD 16th February 2012 Security of supply, of quality timber is going to be a major concern for many EU timber importing countries. Ireland has been a net importer of tropical timber for well over 200 years. As the largest 'per capita' consumers of tropical hardwoods in the EU, our contribution to tropical deforestation is well documented. In November 2010, after more than seven years of negotiation, the...

Concern as emphasis on Climate Change is dropped 28th January 2012 Representatives from around the world gather in Rio in June to try to hammer out goals for sustainable development at a U.N. conference designed to avoid being tripped up by the intractable issue of climate change. But there is concern in the lead-up to the conference, known as Rio+20 or the Earth Summit, that it risks ending up as all talk and little action.

Campaigners Call For Halt to ANGLO Payments 18th January 2012 A new campaigning network of local and global justice organisations, Debt Justice Action, has today called on the government to stop paying the debts of the former Anglo Irish Bank / Irish Nationwide Building Society (INBS). The campaign group - encompassing a strong and unique coalition of representatives from the trade union, community, faith-based, global justice, environmental and academic...

2011 KNOT Awards Announced 13th December 2011 At a time when once again we are all being asked to support Irish jobs (where practicable) double standards abound in many institutions across the length and breadth of Ireland.

Public Consultation on new EU Timber Regulation (EU TR) 11th December 2011 IF YOUR BUSINESS INVOLVES TIMBER OR PRODUCTS MADE FROM TIMBER, WHETHER IMPORTED OR DOMESTICALLY PRODUCED THE NEW EU TIMBER REGULATION WILL AFFECT YOU !

Formal complaint lodged 1st November 2011 A formal complaint against Woodies DIY, has been lodged with the National Consumer Agency and the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) by forest campaigning group Just Forests.

Death of Wangari Maathai - a great loss 26th September 2011 Just Forests is saddened to hear of the passing of Wangari Maathai.

European Commission publishes Resource Efficiency Roadmap 20th September 2011 A plan unveiled by the European Commission to tackle Europe's dependency on imported resources doesn't go far enough to cut waste and stop over-consumption of the world's energy, water, land and materials, says Friends of the Earth.