By BRIAN FALLOW
Ratifying the Kyoto Protocol will undermine the forest industry's international competitiveness and subvert efforts to develop a wood- processing strategy, according to the Forest Industries Council.
It is a hole in the Government's whole-of-government approach to developing a strategy, in partnership with the industry, to attract international investment in plants to process and add value to the coming "wall of wood" before it leaves New Zealand's shores.
The flagship of regional development policy, the strategy aims to at least double the value of forest products exports, with a corresponding increase in employment.
Forest Industries Council chief executive James Griffiths said industry and Government were working together on areas such as transport infrastructure, environmental regulation, trade access and skills development, to improve the business case for investing in New Zealand.
