Our last event of the year was a firecracker. Probably one of the most stimulating and contentious we’ve had for a long time, or ever.
Sparks flew equally from the passions among the presenters and the audience but the discussions were respectful and adhered to the facts, as far as we understand about this material.
You can get a taste of the questions that flowed, many of which went unanswered due to the vibrant discussions and the technical issue of finding it “difficult to get a word in edgewise”.
Feel free to respond in the comments section of the article on the QandA if you have more to add.
The biggest point of contention on the day was whether we could continue to harvest timber at the rate we need to build the 1.2 million homes that have been promised in Australia and to meet the demands of global construction that’s forecast to double the current footprint of the built environment by 2060.
As one person at Novon’s Christmas drinks in Sydney this week noted, once we’ve decarbonised the grid it might well be game-on from steel, which can be infinitely recycled, and from concrete that might revert to the carbon profile of its Roman origins.
But as lawyer and former chief executive of Forest Stewardship Council Natalie Reynolds said at the event, concrete and steel are not resources that are infinitely renewable, but timber is.
Clearly, there’s not a person in or out of the industry whose heart does not beat a little faster when they see a beautifully curved structure in a timber building or the rich deep hues of a timber object.
But a few months ago, we got the gist that the temperature was rising for timber.
At a modest event at Parliament House organised by WWF on alternative and emerging materials to timber, two timber reps failed to materialise to show off their wares, alongside the proponents of materials such as hemp and bamboo.
Turns out they’d been warned off for taking part in a gig promoting competitive materials.
Is this the timber industry feeling threatened? We’re not sure that particular angle is warranted but what is absolutely
If it felt threatened by decarbonised steel and concrete, it might be more understandable.
Our challenge is to grow it sustainably, free of legal concerns, and free of fears that it’s wiping out endangered species whether in Australia or among countries that supply our imported timber.’
Then there is the very real issue of forests and how much we need them for the health of the planet and our human health.
It’s such a complex story.
Among the most passionate people in the debate are environmentalists who also love timber, and trees!
This story and our debate is massively nuanced and each element of what was said is important.
We are working on an extended transcript of the debate that will be available to members of The Fifth Estate. Join now! Don’t miss out!