A major new initiative to tackle illegal deforestation and strengthen legal governance frameworks in tropical forest producer countries and within international timber supply chains was recently launched at COP26.
Billed as a ‘call to action’ from the global private sector involved in forest management and timber production globally, the Tropical Timber Accord - ‘Global Forests need Global Governance’ highlights that strong, inclusive legal frameworks are essential for the sustainable management of tropical forests, which underpins all other climate policy ambitions.
The paper proposes a new governance approach for the global tropical forest sector based on national standards within an international framework. Crucially, it also proposes supporting an international secretariat to administer and oversee the development of this framework.
Produced from a series of workshops with trade associations and businesses throughout the tropical production belt and facilitated and led by the UK Timber Trade Federation (TTF), the Accord is supported by associations in consumer nations including China, Europe and the UK.
Global forests need global governance
Vel Gnanendran, climate and environment director of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said: “We really welcome this call to action that the TTF has facilitated. We have to be able to support growth in countries across the world where the forests are an important economic resource, but at the same time, protect and support our climate change objectives.”
Sheam Satkuru, director of operations of the International Tropical Timber Organisation said: “Protecting and growing our global forests cannot be left to “one-sided” approaches, but must be within a continual dialogue which supports sustainable production and shares the cost of enforcement.
“The tropical timber sector has a key role in achieving the forest management and conservation goals of COP26, and this requires the private sector, governments and civil society coming together to promote governance and sustainable management of resources.”
David Hopkins, chief executive of the UK Timber Trade Federation said: “This is the first time that the global private sector of the forestry management and timber production industry has come together to speak with one united voice to advocate for greater global governance and enforceable legal frameworks in supply chains and within producer forest countries.
“Now we need to start to put some of the detail behind those pledges into action, with a far stronger global legal framework governing the management of forests and the trade through the supply chains.”
