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Select Committee · Environmental Audit Committee

Sustainable timber and deforestation

Status: Closed Opened: 25 Jul 2022 Closed: 9 May 2024 49 recommendations 50 conclusions 2 reports

The Environmental Audit Committee is launching a new inquiry into sustainable timber in the UK and the UK’s contribution to global deforestation. The inquiry will investigate how the UK, which imports most of its timber, can best scale up a sustainable, resilient domestic timber sector and reduce its reliance on imports. In addition, the inquiry … Show more

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Reports

2 reports
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fourth Report - The UK's contribution to tackling global de… HC 405 4 Jan 2024 48 Responded
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for the trees: the contribut… HC 637 19 Jul 2023 51 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
12 Recommendation Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for the … Not Addressed

Require Forestry England to publish a clear plan to meet woodland target

Decisive action and a clear delivery plan are required for Forestry England to meet its target of planting 2,000 hectares of new woodland by 2026. We recommend that a plan be prepared by the end of October 2023 and published for transparency, to demonstrate to the public and the private … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government stated Forestry England is confident in meeting its woodland creation target and provided updated planting figures, but did not commit to preparing or publishing a specific delivery plan by October 2023 as recommended.
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32 Conclusion Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for the … Not Addressed

Resource Forestry England appropriately to ensure new woodland compliance with UKFS throughout its lifetime.

The Government aims to increase tree-cover expansion at rates not seen for decades in order to deliver a range of ecosystem service benefits. To ensure that these benefits are realised, and to deliver the Government’s vision for increased woodland cover, Forestry England must be resourced appropriately so as to ensure … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government's response highlights that Forestry England uses independent certification schemes that exceed UKFS requirements to demonstrate sustainable management, but it does not address the recommendation to review and ensure appropriate resourcing for UKFS compliance.
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34 Recommendation Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for the … Not Addressed

Urgently review Forestry England's resources to ensure sufficient capacity for UKFS compliance.

We further recommend that the Forestry Commission urgently review the resources available to Forestry England so as to ensure that it has sufficient resources to ensure the compliance of woodlands with the UKFS. (Paragraph 166) 80 Seeing the wood for the trees: the contribution of the forestry and timber sectors … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government's response highlights that Forestry England uses independent certification schemes that exceed UKFS requirements to demonstrate sustainable management, but it does not address the recommendation to urgently review resources available to Forestry England for UKFS compliance.
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48 Recommendation Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for the … Not Addressed

Conduct impact assessment of active forest management on UK climate and biodiversity commitments

We recommend that the Government conduct an impact assessment of the effects on the delivery the UK’s climate and biodiversity commitments of bringing a higher proportion of existing forests into active management. (Paragraph 229) 82 Seeing the wood for the trees: the contribution of the forestry and timber sectors to … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the benefits of active forest management for domestic biomass supply and highlights existing grant schemes, but does not address the recommendation to conduct an impact assessment of its effects on climate and biodiversity commitments.
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Oral evidence sessions

6 sessions
Date Witnesses
29 Mar 2023 Maggie Charnley · Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Sir William Worsley · Forestry Commission, The Rt Hon. the Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park · Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Trudy Harrison · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs View ↗
1 Mar 2023 Andrew Howard · Schroders, Danielle Carreira · Tropical Forest Alliance, World Economic Forum, Dr Constance McDermott · University of Oxford, Duncan Brack · n/a, Helen Bellfield · Global Canopy, Ligia Baracat · Forest Peoples Programme View ↗
7 Dec 2022 Ben Goh · Maelor Forest Nurseries, David Hopkins · Timber Development UK, Dr Andrew Weatherall · Institute of Chartered Foresters, Dr Mike Morecroft · Natural England, Graham Clark · Country Land and Business Association, Justin Mumford · Institute of Chartered Foresters, Professor David Coomes · University of Cambridge View ↗
9 Nov 2022 Alexandria Reid · Global Witness, Dr Chris West · Stockholm Environment Institute York, Michael Rice · Client Earth, Sir Ian Cheshire · Channel 4 View ↗
2 Nov 2022 Dr Alan Knight · Drax Group, Professor Michael Norton · European Academies Science Advisory Council, Professor Patricia Thornley · Aston University View ↗
26 Oct 2022 Andrew Carpenter · Structural Timber Association, Dr Alan Knight · Drax Group, Ian Tubby · Forestry Commission, Nick Phillips · Woodland Trust, Professor Michael Norton · European Academies Science Advisory Council, Professor Patricia Thornley · Aston University, Stuart Goodall · Confederation of Forest Industries UK View ↗

Who gave evidence

28 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Dr Alan Knight · Group Director of Sustainability Drax Group 2
Professor Michael Norton · Environment Programme Director European Academies Science Advisory Council 2
Professor Patricia Thornley · Director of the Energy and Bioproducts Research I… Aston University 2
Alexandria Reid · Senior Global Policy Adviser Global Witness 1
Andrew Carpenter · Chief Executive Structural Timber Association 1
Andrew Howard · Global Head of Sustainable Investment Schroders 1
Ben Goh · Commercial Manager Maelor Forest Nurseries 1
Danielle Carreira · Head of Finance Sector Engagement Tropical Forest Alliance, World Economic Forum 1
David Hopkins · Chief Executive Timber Development UK 1
Dr Andrew Weatherall · Fellow Institute of Chartered Foresters 1
Dr Chris West · Lead for Sustainable Consumption and Production g… Stockholm Environment Institute York 1
Dr Constance McDermott · Jackson Senior Fellow and Associate Professor, La… University of Oxford 1
Dr Mike Morecroft · Principal Specialist, Climate Change Natural England 1
Duncan Brack · independent environmental policy analyst n/a 1
Graham Clark · Senior Land Use Policy Adviser Country Land and Business Association 1
Helen Bellfield · Policy Director Global Canopy 1
Ian Tubby · Head of Policy and Advice Forestry Commission 1
Justin Mumford · Chartered forester and representative Institute of Chartered Foresters 1
Ligia Baracat · UK Policy and Advocacy Officer Forest Peoples Programme 1
Maggie Charnley · Head, International Forests Unit Department for Energy Security and Net Zero 1
Michael Rice · Lawyer, Forest-risk Commodities Client Earth 1
Nick Phillips · Forestry Policy Lead Woodland Trust 1
Professor David Coomes · Professor of Forest Ecology and Conservation University of Cambridge 1
Sir Ian Cheshire · Chair Channel 4 1
Sir William Worsley · Chair Forestry Commission 1
Stuart Goodall · Chief Executive Confederation of Forest Industries UK 1
The Rt Hon. the Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park · Minister of State (Overseas Territories, Commonwe… Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 1
Trudy Harrison · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister … Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 1

Correspondence

5 letters
DateDirectionTitle
9 May 2024 To cttee Letter from the EAC Chair to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and R…
13 Jun 2023 To cttee Letter from the Minister of State for Overseas Territories, Energy, Climate and…
13 Jun 2023 To cttee Letter from the Minister for Natural Environment and Land Use, Department for E…
5 Jun 2023 To cttee Letter from the Chairman of the Forestry Commission, relating to the Sustainabl…
27 Apr 2023 To cttee Letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Natural En…