The Government will devolve the authority to make decisions about where pine forests can be planted to local councils. This concerns the Climate Change Commission which thinks carbon offsets may be less effective at preventing climate change in the long term, compared with gross reductions. For example, Canada’s pine forests are becoming a net source of carbon emissions due to forest fires and insect outbreaks. Today, the Labour government has granted some of what Kirton requested by giving councils’ the authority to determine where, and how much, carbon forestry can occur. Local councils will be empowered to decide which land can be used for plantation and carbon forests through the resource consent process.

Source: Otago Daily Times June 13, 2023 23:42 UTC