As governments worldwide scramble to create meaningful policy to deliver on their Paris promises, the question of what defines “renewable” is more hotly contested than ever before.

Here at home, this question is heightened by this week’s announcement of the sale of South East Fibre Exports to Allied Natural Wood Exports, with the new owners pledging engagement in “markets of the future” which essentially translate to using timber in simply different ways. 

With global energy targets as fresh inspiration, local Green and anti-logging campaigners are calling on Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt to honour his promise to “look beyond fossil fuel emissions to the natural systems for carbon storage”, which are rainforests, mangroves, sea grass and forests.

Spokesperson for the South East Region Conservation Alliance (SERCA) Prue Acton said implementing this promise is “the most important international environmental pledge for climate action”.

SERCA says emissions from the forestry industry is now a key concern.

“Up to 15 per cent of the world’s emissions are from degradation and deforestation of natural forests,” Ms Acton said.

But others claim the forestry industry is “greenhouse gas friendly” compared to other industries, and believe it has a place in Australia’s renewable future, none more so than the new owners of the Eden chip mill.

“Biomass heating – using wood pellets as well as other organic materials – provides high energy with low emissions,” Allied Natural Wood Exports’ spokesperson Rob de Fegely said.

“Who knows what policies we’ll see after Paris, but there is now a big focus on renewable resources and I believe wood is a renewable resource, and can play a big role,” Mr de Fegely said, adding that wind energy should be questioned due to the environmental impact of mining “rare earths”.

Most would argue its essential to see the trees – despite the wood – as we contemplate our clean energy future.