Prime Minister James Marape has announced his government will end all round log exports from January 2026.

In the last decade Papua New Guinea has become the world’s largest exporter of tropical round logs while the logging industry has been blighted with allegations of illegal logging, human rights abuses, environmental destruction and financial crime.

ACT NOW has been actively campaigning for an end to round log exports as these are the main driver for large-scale logging and associated forest crimes.

Although we don’t know the detail of how the ban will be enforced, the PNG Forest Authority is hosting a one-day National Forestry Sector Forum on December 18 to inform forestry sector stakeholders on the National Government’s policy directive to stop the issuance of Round Logs Export Permits and Licenses from 24 December 2025 and develop a Transition Plan