Solomon Islands' heavy economic reliance on logging makes it difficult to address unsustainable harvesting, its prime minister says.
Rick Hou said contrary to expert predictions, Solomon Islands' logging industry continued to grow with output currently at 2.5 million cubic metres - five times the level of the early 2000s.
Rick Hou the Prime Minister of Solomon Islands.. Photo: RNZ/Pacific Koroi Hawkins
The current rate was 10-15 times higher than the recommended level for sustainable logging, Mr Hou said.
But given the effects of the drastic measures needed to curb logging, it would be difficult to garner the political and community will needed to change, he said.
"Solomon Islands' government will have an immediate major revenue problem on hand. Of course we will see economic growth significantly drop.
"There will be significant falls in foreign reserves. If it was to cease this year there would be significant rise in unemployment especially in the rural sector."
