Samoa opposition against plan to burn wood to generate power

An opposition MP in Samoa has described a suggestion to produce electricity by burning wood as stupid.

The idea comes from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment which has suggested growing invasive tree species to burn as a cheap way to generate electricity.

But MP of Gagaemauga No.1, Levaopolo Talatonu, says planting more invasive species like tamarins and African rubber trees will only help them spread.

He says this will endanger native species.

According to him, the ministry says to grow trees to suck carbon dioxide and help climate change, and yet at the same time it says to burn trees to put more of the gas into the environment.