The campaigning NGO for greater environmental and social justice, with a focus on forests and forest peoples rights in the policies and practices of the EU

Creating Sustainable Timber Markets

Launch of the European STTC

An NGO Perspective

Amsterdam - 6 November 2013Indra Van Gisbergen

Increase demand “sustainable tropical timber”

First preliminary question:

Voluntary certification schemes (ex.FSC) = driving SFM Tropical forest certification = very limited –only 6% of tropical forest production is certified

WHY is there little SFM in

the tropics?

Certification cannot address policy & institutional failure

Certification does not address the root causes of poor governance: •Lack of clarity of tenure •Endemic corruption

Increase demand for sustainable tropical timber

Second preliminary question:

Doescertification

improves SFM in the tropics ?

•No evidence in countries with weak/absent governance

•Many certificates have been disputed, revoked or suspended :

Ex. SIFORCO/Danzer – DRC

1. How important are demand-side compared/in

addition to supply-side measures ?

Action on both side is required – Go hand in hand - Need for simultaneous and complementary action

BUT danger :

Increase of demand

Increase of supply

Unsustainable supply

Cfr FSC Complaints panel Sodefor/DRC – Jan.2012

“Do not dramatically increase certified areas in regions without good governance

1. How important are demand-side compared/in

addition to supply-side measures ?

FLEGT Action plan = unique tool to:

- bring demand & supply sides together

- address illegal logging in producing + consumer countries

VPA = cornerstone of FLEGT Action plan - voluntary bilateral legally binding agreement

Please note: NO FLEGT licenses yet – Need to go until the finish

VPA Process = Innovative tool to improve forest governance

How?

•Multi-stakeholder process

•Creating space for CSOs/Communities

•VPAs includes social dimensions

•Most VPAs include annexe on transparency and access to information

•VPA = motor for participatory legal reform (offers opportunity to strengthen community rights)

•VPA is a tool to address worrying trends: land grab – conversion timber

2. Seven Do’s and don’ts for STTC partners

• DO’s

Recognize: No sustainability, no certification without legality & governance

Do not pretend certification is a real solution. Certification will not lead to SFM if structural problems are not addressed

Companies

Assess if certification is feasible & viable for outstanding companies in areas without good governance (ex. Congo Basin)

Do not underestimate the burden of: -Action in non VPA countries - controversial certification undermine reputation

Companies

Support FLEGT action plan as tool for change

Do not underestimate VPAs as key to certification success – accounatabiity & transarency, reduce risks

All

2. Seven Do’s and don’t s for coalition partners

Integrate lessons learned from FLEGT/VPA process

 Ignore power of participation

All

Prioritize VPA implementation + Provide financial, technical and political support accordingly

 Do not underestimate complexity of VPA implementation

All

Increase the collaboration/dialogue with other consumer markets including Asian markets

Ignore changing market trends

All

Support EUTR implementation of the EUTR

Failure of EUTR implementation affects VPA implementation

All

STTC Ambitions are particular challenging

Reminder of IDH Report: Highly unlikely certification will become mainstream practice in the tropics Forecast: by 2030 2/3 tropical forests will remain uncertified

3. NGO’s contributions to STTC ambition and efforts

4 concrete suggestions: NGOs should be involved:

- Monitoring - STTC to develop a risk

index for different countries, link NGOs in these countries confronted by negative impacts to the coalition

Support VPA + EUTR implementation

Support civil society – capacity building

Share the lessons learned from the FLEGT VPA with all stakeholders

What NGO’s can do

Rue d’Edimbourg 26 1000 Bruxelles Belgique

t +32 2 894 4693       e indra@fern.org

www.fern.org

The campaigning NGO for greater environmental and social justice, with a focus on forests and forest peoples rights in the policies and practices of the EU