Sustainable timber and deforestation

Environmental Audit Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 25 Jul 2022 Closed: 9 May 2024 Parliament page
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 … Read more
49 Recommendations
50 Conclusions
2 Reports
6 Oral sessions
5 Letters
6 Events
Activity timeline 21 events
9 May
2024
Correspondence
26 Mar
2024
Report published
4 Jan
2024
Report published
15 Dec
2023
Report published
19 Jul
2023
Report published
13 Jun
2023
Correspondence
13 Jun
2023
Correspondence
5 Jun
2023
Correspondence
27 Apr
2023
Correspondence
29 Mar
2023
Oral evidence
29 Mar
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 15, Palace of Westminster
1 Mar
2023
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 6 sessions
29 Mar 2023
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panel one; panel two
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
1 Mar 2023
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panel one; panel two
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
7 Dec 2022
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panel one; panel two
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
9 Nov 2022
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panel one
Alexandria Reid · Global Witness Dr Chris West · Stockholm Environment Institute York Michael Rice · Client Earth Sir Ian Cheshire · Channel 4
2 Nov 2022
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Panel 1
Dr Alan Knight · Drax Group Professor Michael Norton · European Academies Science Advisory Council Professor Patricia Thornley · Aston University
26 Oct 2022
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Panel 1; Panel 2
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
Recommendations & Conclusions
23 results
Clear
11 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Forestry England significantly behind woodland planting targets since 2021
Forestry England has planted only 303 hectares against its target of 2,000 hectares of new planting between 2021 and 2026. Despite pursing leasehold partnership arrangements, in recent years Forestry England has planted virtually no new woodlands on leasehold land. Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the observation, stating Forestry England is confident of meeting its 2,000-hectare target and has planted 189 hectares on leasehold land, with another 267 hectares expected by 2026/27, further extending its partnership offer to purchase freehold land.
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15 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Government estate presents significant opportunities for woodland creation and nature recovery
Central government is a major landowner. The Greening Government Commitments commit the Government to identify opportunities to contribute to nature recovery on the Government estate. Woodland creation can be a significant contributor to nature recovery. (Paragraph 70) Seeing the wood … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledged the conclusion, highlighting its ongoing actions under the England Trees Action Plan to increase timber production and nature recovery on public land, and its current efforts to identify further tree planting opportunities across the government estate.
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16 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Commission work to identify woodland creation opportunities on the Government estate
We recommend that Ministers commission work to identify opportunities for woodland creation on the Government estate, to advance nature recovery further and increase timber production.
Government Response
The government acknowledged the recommendation, stating it is currently considering how to better collate data and identify tree planting opportunities across the government estate and is in conversation with departments and No10 regarding the scope of this work.
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21 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Maintain Forestry England monitoring of new woodland compliance with UK Forestry Standard beyond establishment stage.
The reliance on the UK Forestry Standard to ensure the sustainability of planting in areas identified as ‘low risk’ could provide a proportionate risk-mitigation mechanism. For this to operate effectively it is important that Forestry England maintain its monitoring of … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges that UKFS compliance checking is currently limited to grant applications and felling license assessments, and states it is considering what additional resources would be needed for greater woodland management oversight beyond the establishment stage.
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26 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Woodland creation benefits for net zero and nature recovery vary significantly by context.
Delivery of the Government’s net zero and nature recovery targets depends on wide- scale woodland creation. The amount of CO absorbed, the levels of biodiversity 2 supported and other benefits or negative effects of woodland creation are all highly variable, … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees that forestry and timber are crucial for Net Zero and biodiversity, outlining its England Trees Action Plan and a statutory target to increase woodland cover to 16.5% by 2050, emphasizing mixed, resilient woodlands for varied environmental, productive, and amenity purposes.
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30 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Ensure the revised UK Forestry Standard fully supports productive forestry compatible with climate and nature goals.
We recommend that the project board with oversight of the current quinquennial review of the UK Forestry Standard ensure that the revised Standard not only contributes to beneficial outcomes for biodiversity and carbon storage but also supports productive forestry to … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges that the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) is already based on principles supporting productive forestry and biodiversity. The Forestry Commission will work with stakeholders and devolved administrations to ensure clarity and consistency regarding changes to the latest UKFS version.
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31 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Compliance with the UK Forestry Standard is inadequately monitored beyond woodland establishment phase.
The UK Forestry Standard underpins regulation of the sustainability of the nation’s forests and plays an important role in ensuring that renewed efforts to increase timber supply do not repeat the mistakes of the past. Yet the existence of the … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges concerns about monitoring UKFS compliance beyond initial establishment for non-grant aided operations. The Forestry Commission intends to conduct periodic reviews of compliance and is exploring the future use of Earth Observation and remote sensing technology to assist.
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33 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Establish a programme for routine woodland monitoring to ensure UKFS adherence beyond establishment.
Given the importance of the UKFS in ensuring that forests are managed sustainably, we recommend that the Forestry Commission establish a programme for the routine monitoring of woodland to ensure that the standard is being adhered to beyond establishment, adopting … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the need for monitoring UKFS compliance beyond initial establishment, particularly for non-grant aided operations. The Forestry Commission intends to conduct periodic reviews of compliance and explore the future use of Earth Observation and remote sensing technology.
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35 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Increased timber uptake in construction offers significant long-term carbon storage potential for net zero.
We welcome the Government’s aims to increase the uptake of timber in construction. The long-term use of timber in construction offers longer term carbon storage potential than other uses of harvested wood products and therefore has an important role to … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the environmental benefits of using responsibly sourced timber in construction, affirming its commitment through various strategies to increase timber use for carbon storage.
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36 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Engineered solutions are essential for increasing structural use of domestically grown timber in construction.
It is important that domestically-grown timber resulting from the current drive to plant is available for use in construction as far as possible. While there is scope to use UK-grown timber for a wide variety of non-structural purposes, engineered solutions … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of domestically grown timber for construction and describes ongoing efforts through the Timber in Construction Roadmap to address barriers and increase demand for English wood. They highlight current projects and a knowledge library supporting innovative engineered timber products.
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40 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Growing quality UK hardwood for composite products faces disease and management challenges.
Growing the market for hardwood in composite products—as an alternative to use for firewood—could utilise broadleaf resources in the UK, with the added benefit of incentivising more broadleaf woodlands to be brought into management. However, growing quality hardwoods remains difficult … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the committee that there is an opportunity to increase domestic hardwood use and is considering its potential as part of the Timber in Construction Roadmap, mentioning existing funds and future work with industry.
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42 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Strengthened governance of bioenergy markets is crucial for sustainable biomass sourcing.
While imported woody biomass continues to be a major bioenergy feedstock, it is important that biomass used in UK power generation, whether from the UK or overseas, is genuinely sustainably sourced in a way which minimises the impact on forest … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of sustainable biomass by stating the Biomass Strategy, published on August 10th, includes actions to strengthen sustainability criteria and commits to a consultation on these in 2024.
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44 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Constrain UK power sector biomass use by sustainable feedstock supply, quantified in Biomass Strategy.
The amount of biomass used by the UK power sector should be constrained by the supply of low-carbon sustainable feedstocks, factoring in potential domestic supply and rising trends of bioenergy use globally. The Biomass Strategy should set out and quantify … Read more
Government Response
The government states the Biomass Strategy acknowledges biomass as a limited resource and presents an assessment of its potential, while noting the complexity and uncertainty in predicting future sustainable supply and prioritising uses for negative emissions.
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49 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Scale up sustainable planting of short-rotation forestry and coppice for bioenergy feedstock
Short-rotation forestry and short-rotation coppice crops are currently little used, but demand for them is likely to increase. If they are considered to be significant and necessary bioenergy feedstock sources, their planting must be scaled up sustainably, in line with … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees that any upscaling of short-rotation forestry and coppice must be sustainable and not reduce food production, stating they will explore these issues with industry and that the Land Use Framework will provide further detail.
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50 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Determine UK capacity for bioenergy feedstock from forest resources, modelling land-use trade-offs
In the forthcoming Biomass Strategy and Land Use Strategy the Government must determine the capacity of the UK to supply bioenergy feedstock from its forest resources—including forest residues, short rotation forestry and coppicing—analysing the risks of drawing upon these resources … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the need for sustainable upscaling and states an updated assessment of potential future biomass availability was published. They commit to exploring these issues in depth and further detail will be provided in the Land Use Framework.
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51 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fifth Report - Seeing the wood for…
Collaborate Forestry Commission and Ofgem to develop sustainable bioenergy feedstock regulatory framework
We recommend that the Forestry Commission, as the Government’s experts on forestry, work with Ofgem to share best forestry practice. The objective of this collaboration ought to be to ensure that, should demand for domestic wood biomass in energy markets … Read more
Government Response
The government clarifies that DESNZ is responsible for the regulatory framework, while Ofgem's role is administrative. They acknowledge the importance of collaboration and state DESNZ has already developed actions with the Forestry Commission for a consultation in 2024 to strengthen sustainability criteria.
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4 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - The UK's contribut…
Monitoring and transparent data reporting are crucial for understanding and reducing deforestation impacts.
Understanding which forest risk commodities are contributing to deforestation, and on what scale, is essential for the UK and other nations to introduce effective legislation and policies. Monitoring and transparent data reporting are therefore crucial, including on how consumption contributes … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees with the importance of monitoring and transparent data reporting and states that scoping work is underway to assess the feasibility of incorporating metals and minerals into the Global Environmental Impacts of Consumption indicator framework.
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13 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - The UK's contribut…
Require all acquired forest-risk commodities to be certified as sustainably produced under GBS.
We recommend that the GBS require all acquired forest-risk commodities (in addition to palm oil, timber and paper) to be certified as sustainably produced. (Paragraph 41) The UK’s proposed due diligence system under the Environment Act 2021
Government Response
The government will focus statutory reviews on scheme effectiveness and is exploring how to address the role of indigenous peoples in forest preservation within the independent evaluation of the scheme.
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15 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - The UK's contribut…
Amend UK Timber Regulations to require all imported timber to be sustainably harvested.
We recommend that the Government bring forward proposals to amend the UK Timber Regulations so as not only to prevent illegally harvested timber being placed on UK markets but also to require all imported timber to be sustainably harvested. (Paragraph … Read more
Government Response
The government encourages businesses to use the TNFD’s risk management disclosure recommendations and will consider how best to incorporate the TNFD into UK policy and regulatory architecture.
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25 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - The UK's contribut…
Statutory evaluation of due diligence system lacks explicit human rights impact assessment.
Schedule 17 requires the Secretary of State to evaluate the effectiveness of the due diligence system in the third year following its full entry into force. The Act requires an evaluation of the impact of the regime on deforestation activity, … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the crucial role of indigenous peoples and is exploring how the impact of the due diligence system on their human rights could be addressed within the independent evaluation of Schedule 17, while noting statutory reviews will focus on deforestation.
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30 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - The UK's contribut…
Legislate for mandatory nature-related impact disclosure by businesses based on TNFD recommendations.
In order to support target 15 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, we recommend that the Government bring forward proposals to legislate for mandatory 50 The UK’s contribution to tackling global deforestation disclosure of nature-related impacts by businesses, including the … Read more
Government Response
The government encourages businesses to use TNFD recommendations and will consider how best to incorporate them into UK policy and regulatory architecture, ensuring they are appropriate and beneficial for the UK context.
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38 Conclusion Acknowledged
Fourth Report - The UK's contribut…
Government commitment to continue and extend Forest Governance, Markets and Climate Programme welcomed.
We welcome the Government’s commitment to a programme to continue the work of the of the Forest Governance, Markets and Climate Programme, and the potential extension of its scope to include mining commodities.
Government Response
The FCDO is currently developing the business case for a follow-on 10-year forest governance markets and climate programme, which will have a broader remit to include illegal deforestation beyond timber.
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47 Recommendation Acknowledged
Fourth Report - The UK's contribut…
Use trade negotiations to encourage high environmental standards and sustainable supply chains
If the UK Government is to persuade other major consumers to act on their deforestation footprint, it is important that the UK leads by example. We recommend that Ministers use the opportunity of bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations to encourage … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the importance of working with partners through trade negotiations to uphold high environmental standards and address deforestation, outlining existing efforts and ambitions in this area without committing to new specific actions.
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Government Response AI assessment · 99 of 49 classified
Accepted 43
Accepted in Part 10
Acknowledged 23
Deferred 16
Not Addressed 4
Rejected 3
Total 49 recs + 50 conclusions
Correspondence 5 letters
9 May 2024 To committee Letter from the EAC Chair to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, relating to the Government's response to the EAC report on 'The UK’s contribution to tackling global deforestation', dated 8 May 2024
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13 Jun 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister of State for Overseas Territories, Energy, Climate and the Environment, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, relating to the 'Status of UK International Climate Finance (ICF) International Forests Provision', dated 30 May 2023
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13 Jun 2023 To committee Letter from the Minister for Natural Environment and Land Use, Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs, relating to the 'Sustainable timber and deforestation' inquiry, dated 1 June 2023
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5 Jun 2023 To committee Letter from the Chairman of the Forestry Commission, relating to the Sustainable timber and deforestation inquiry, dated 11 April 2023
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27 Apr 2023 To committee Letter from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Natural Environment and Land Use) at DEFRA, relating to the 'Sustainable timber and deforestation' evidence session of 29 March 2023, dated 17 April 2023
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