Deforestation plan better than Kyoto: PM.

[don't the tree hugging Greens hate this ..... ?!? ]


The Prime Minister says the Government's plan to help South-East Asia reduce deforestation will have a greater impact on climate change than the Kyoto Protocol.
The Government will spend $200 million over five years planting trees and aiming to end deforestation, mainly in Indonesia.
John Howard says the plan will slow the rate of trees being cut down.
"And as everybody knows, if you can do that, you can reduce greenhouse gas emissions," he said.
"In fact 20 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions come from clearing the world's forest and that's second only to emissions from burning fossil fuels to produce electricity and it's more than all the world's emissions from transport."
Mr Howard has rejected British economist Sir Nicholas Stern's proposal to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent in 13 years, saying it would damage Australia's economy and cost thousands of coal industry jobs.
He says combating deforestation will make a real difference, but will not harm the economy.
"What this initiative will do in a shorter period time is make a greater contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions than in fact the Kyoto Protocol," he said.
The Opposition's treasury spokesman, Wayne Swan, says the deforestation plan is a good idea, but the Prime Minister must also act closer to home.
"I'm pleased he recognises the importance of that, why doesn't he recognise the importance of this country getting on board with a comprehensive and ambitious agenda to combat climate change at home and abroad?" he said.
"I mean that's the whole point.
"If he can recognise it in Indonesia, why can't he recognise it at home?"
Greens Senator Christine Milne says it is hypocrisy to focus on South-East Asia when clearfell logging and regeneration burns continue in Tasmania.
"It's absolutely a last minute coming to recognise what we've all been pointing out for years, a loss of forests, deforestation, a major driver of climate change - start in Tasmania, Prime Minister," she said.