Forest industry’s future is green
This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 3rd, 2010 and is filed under Green Energy.
New report says bioenergy can bring new capital, replace lost jobs
he Canadian forest industry can come out of the recession stronger than ever by turning green, according to a new study by the Forest Products Association of Canada.
The study shows that traditional wood products, like lumber or pulp, are the best platform for a new bioenergy sector that can bring new capital, create new jobs and provide the benefits of clean energy.
But it’s going to take a change in direction from industry and government to attract needed capital, states the report, called the Future Biopathways Project.
“The ability to produce energy, fuel and chemicals from wood fibre, along with forests’ capacity to sequester carbon from the atmosphere, will change the nature of the game for Canada’s forest products industry,” states a summary of the report released yesterday.
“As much as this is welcome news for forestry workers, it is also advantageous to communities and the national economy at large, since the forest products industry produces far more jobs and generates greater GDP than emerging bio-industries in isolation.”
FPAC president Avrim Lazar said the association is seeking $3 billion from Ottawa in new and existing programs over the next five years to spur the transition.
By Gordon Hamilton, Canwest News Service
