Confor Welcomes Climate Change Committee's Call for Urgent Action on Tree Planting

The report's findings are timely as the Labour Government sets its priorities for the new Parliament and they align closely with Confor's long-standing position that increased woodland creation is essential for carbon sequestration and achieving net zero targets. Confor is particularly encouraged by the CCC's emphasis on the need for urgent action, recognising that the trees planted in the next few years will have the greatest impact on meeting net zero by 2050.

The key points that Confor endorses in the report include:

1. The call for an urgent doubling of tree planting rates across the UK to deliver 30,000 hectares a year on a sustained basis.
2. Recognition that woodland creation is currently significantly off track and requires immediate attention.
3. The recommendation for both the UK and devolved governments to provide sufficient funding and delivery support for tree planting.
4. Acknowledgment of the need to address non-financial barriers, particularly around resource and capacity.

Confor Chief Executive Stuart Goodall said: "The latest CCC report is very timely and underscores what Confor has been advocating for years - that tree planting is a critical tool in our fight against climate change and that we’re not doing enough of it. New ministers have been appointed at Defra and it is vital that Secretary of State Steve Reed leads from the front in ensuring the CCC’s recommendations are accepted, and that urgent action is taken to get us back on track.

“Increased woodland creation will help deliver the Labour Government’s priority objective of growing the economy. Fast growing trees will lock up the most amount of carbon by 2050, and they stimulate investment in jobs and wood manufacturing. This expanding industry has real potential for further growth as evidenced a new report published in Scotland last week that shows the industry has grown significantly and contributes £1.1 billion to the Scottish economy and supports more than 34,000 jobs.

"With economic growth the number one priority of Keir Starmer's government, the time to support an industry that not only provides high quality jobs in rural areas but also fights damaging climate change is now.

"The CCC’s report looks at all parts of the UK and identified that urgent action is required by the devolved administrations as well. With the new Government taking office earlier this month and signalling a fresh start with political representatives in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, there is a real opportunity to move on from the missed opportunities of the last decade and give fighting damaging climate change through greatly increased woodland creation the political priority it deserves.”

Confor considers this week's announcement in the King's Speech about greater coordination with devolved administrations as an opportunity for the new government to address the CCC's recommendations. Tree planting could serve as an excellent test case for improved policy coordination between the various UK devolved administrations in the critical area of climate change mitigation.

Confor looks forward to discussing the report's recommendations in detail with the new Ministerial team at Defra. We stand ready to work collaboratively with all governments across the UK to overcome barriers and accelerate woodland creation as an urgent priority.

With this report providing a clear mandate for action, Confor calls on all UK administrations to heed the CCC's advice by implementing the necessary policies and funding to significantly boost tree planting rates. The forestry and wood processing sector is prepared to play its part in the crucial national mission to combat climate change and create a sustainable, low-carbon future.