If Solomon Islands continues logging at its current rate, natural forests in the country will be exhausted in 15 years. The South Pacific nation, and its neighbour Papua New Guinea, are striking examples of the enormous cost of the logging industry on small island nations. In 2017 Solomon Islands exported more than 3m cubic metres of logs. But Pollard also compares the country’s reliance on the logging industry to “a drug that the country [is] depending on”. In May, Sam Koim, the commissioner general of PNG’s Internal Revenue Commission, announced his office was investigating 20 logging companies operating in PNG over tax compliance.

Source: The Guardian May 31, 2021 19:52 UTC