Opposition MP Jumps to Clarify Carbon Trading
What the Minister for Forestry missed is that this carbon trading is part of the climate bill that is now a Climate Change Act. Alvick Maharaj Opposition Member of Parliament
Opposition Member of Parliament Alvick Maharaj was quick to clarify the jargons associated with carbon emission trading when the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Kalaveti Ravu failed to do so.
Mr Ravu, in his ministerial statement yesterday, talked about the assessment of net emissions under the forest carbon programme that covered Viti Levu, Vanua Levu and Taveuni (see QR for ministerial statement).
He said the ministry had received reports of communities being unhappy about the Government’s plan to commit their land under a carbon trade agreement.
He said the rights of land owners remained intact and that a forest or land would only be considered under this arrangement through the formal lease issued by the relevant leasing authority.
The Speaker, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, said it was difficult to understand Mr Ravu’s statement. “When you were speaking, you were speaking about a different atmosphere and we’re in a separate world,” he said.
“It’s hard for me to understand or interpret what you’re saying to the people that own the resources. Would the Government be able to clarify this a bit more, so we better understand what you’re talking about to us?”
Mr Maharaj explained: “Carbon sequestration is a process that’s not about how much carbon is emitted, but how much carbon is absorbed by a particular acre of forest.
“The amount of carbon sink per acre or hectare would be calculated in tonnes.
“That tonne would be sold to some company abroad who would be emitting carbon - that’s what carbon trading is all about.
“What the Minister for Forestry missed is that this carbon trading is part of the climate bill that is now a Climate Change Act.”