Posted on 08/17/2010 7:59:52 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Green Protectionism
By James M. Roberts Wednesday, August 11, 2010
European policy makers and environmental groups want to restrict imports—but not in order to save the planet.
A recent article in the New York Times featured unsubstantiated accusations by Greenpeace that Indonesian pulp, paper, and palm oil conglomerate Sinar Mas is “secretly planning a massive expansion of pulp mills and cutting down essential forests, including habitats for endangered tigers.” Alleging serious ecological harm, Greenpeace—along with the World Wildlife Fund, Friends of the Earth, and the Rainforest Action Network—is advocating trade restrictions on these products from Indonesia.
This attack on Indonesia’s forestry sector bookends a recent blitz by Greenpeace activists against Indonesia’s palm oil industry on similar grounds. Meanwhile, companies in Europe, North America, and Australia that produce competing agricultural commodities have lobbied their governments to impose trade restrictions against lower-cost products from Asia.
Welcome to the world of “green protectionism.”
(Excerpt) Read more at american.com ...
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