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International Forum on the Sustainable Development of the Wood Industry in Congo Basin Countries
4
Over the past ten years, the overall supply
of wood from natural tropical forests
has shrunk because of production costs and pressure from environmental groups
There is a great potential in Central Africa for developing forest plantations to meet the
growing demand for wood, especially fuelwood. POTENTIALITIES
Rehabilitation of degraded and unused land.
...certification and despite a European context that in general seeks to ensure more responsible consumption, such certification at present enjoys only minimal recognition, which prevents the enterprises involved in the initiative from thriving on a sustainable basis and thus ensuring its social and environmental benefits. Forest certification must be based on monitoring systems that take account of the real situation on the ground and develop standards that are recognized within VPAs, so as to facilitate controls and the issuing of FLEGT permits for certified enterprises. Despite the political commitment of Central African countries, there have been delays in implementing VPAs, as a result particularly of (a) the underestimated need to build stakeholders’ capacities, (b) a small and
Moreover, the development of a policy promoting forest plantations in Central Africa would help reduce poverty by encouraging the development of communities that will participate in the establishment and monitoring of such plantations and the utilization of resources coming from them (firewood, charcoal, electricity and heat production).
CHALLENGES
ES EM H YT KE theme 1 /
ADVANCED WOOD PROCESSING
>> >> MORE INFORMATION ON THE EU-FAO-FLEGT PROGRAMME: www.fao.org/forestry/eu-flegt/
theme 2 / MARKETS OUTLOOKS
theme 3 / THE FLEGT ACTION PLAN & FOREST CERTIFICATIONS
theme 4 / FOREST PLANTATIONS
sustainable development
Legal wood products & better livelihoods: welcome!
T
his forum is the catalyst for addressing issues important for the sustainable
under the auspices of the Ministry of Forestry and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Congo
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
Paving the way to
The major constraints are political and land tenure insecurity, problems of governance, insufficient research and development, the lack of effective financing mechanisms and competition from other land uses.
medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector that very seldom has sufficient technical and financial means to meet legality requirements and (c) difficulties in establishing a national traceability system. This delay in issuing FLEGT permits affects the activity of European importers, who are today obliged to apply due diligence, in other words to minimize the risk of having illegal wood enter their supply chain – which requires major but sometimes insufficient efforts to document their purchases of wood and wood products. This thus complicates commercial exchanges, whereas the issuing of credible FLEGT permits would ensure automatic entry into European markets.
21-22 October 2013
development of our value chain. Those who take part in the forum will draw up the first Declaration on tropical wood. Although it
may not be a legally binding agreement, the Brazzaville Declaration will be an innovative document intended to establish a “golden standard” for harvesting and processing
tropical wood. Recommendations from
workshops on wood transformation conducted
since 2010 are gathered in a White Paper
the White Paper aims to act as a reference tool
be taken as a first attempt at an evaluation
the development of a sustainable forest
that will be presented at the Forum and may
“
of the “state of the wood value chain”.
Serving as the working basis for the Forum,
for the involvement of all the stakeholders in industry in Congo Basin countries.
Nowadays we require all players to process wood on site and to create added value on site. This is now an established rule: we want this added value to be available to Congo
Source: Afrik.com, May 2013
Forest plantations
HENRI DJOMBO MINISTER OF FORESTRY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, REPUBLIC OF CONGO
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“
www.fb2013.org
VPA and private certifications: Congolese recognition Monday 21 October 2013
ROBERT SIMPSON, EU/FAO/FLEGT PROGRAMME
It’s 10 years since the implementation of the FLEGT Action Plan: VPAs are being developed in many African countries and the EUTR came into force in March 2013.
But... what about the efforts to tackle timber legality and/or sustainable management certification that started two decades ago?
The Congolese VPA enables the recognition of private certification schemes if they are consistent with the VPA. What are the actions to be undertaken by certification bodies? How can the companies whose traceability system is certified contribute to the establishment of a national traceability system? Can private certification schemes accelerate VPA implementation?
Get the answers in this side event!
FAO works with stakeholders to improve governance and compliance with legal frameworks, helping them meet unequivocal market demand for legal timber products
Advanced wood processing
“
The FLEGT* Action Plan & forest certifications
Securing markets for legal and certified wood products has never been more crucial if we want to avoid losing natural tropical forests to agricultural crop plantations
RALPH RIDDER, DIRECTOR GENERAL, ATIBT
Creating wood products is one of the most important activities of countries with forests. However, at present such creation is mainly in the hands of the informal sector. POTENTIALITIES
This activity can develop local economies and guarantee many jobs. It can thus ensure significant socio-economic development.
Markets Outlooks
Tuesday 22 October 2013
It’s 20 years since the creation of the label: FSC wood in the Congo Basin represents less than 1% of tropical timber imports in the world.
Some market shares are lost due to lack of marketing strategy. Yet to date, tropical timber remains an eco-material capable of meeting the technical needs of international markets while certification provides guarantees (of legality on top of sustainability) required by the most demanding markets.
CHALLENGES
A still fairly unenthusiastic political will; a business climate that is unfavourable to investment; a highly competitive informal sector; the lack of adequate infrastructure and services; inappropriate taxation and customs policies; the small number of technical and professional staff who have received local training appropriate for more advanced wood processing.
A key factor enabling the forest wood value chain to contribute to the local economies of Congo Basin countries is the development of an industry supplying markets with competitive products. POTENTIALITIES
This development is necessary not only in order to meet the quality standards required by certain traditional markets, such as those of Europe and North America, which have reduced their demand for tropical wood, but also to demonstrate the sustainability of wood harvesting and processing activities, together with their compliance with the social, environmental and legal requirements of these markets. Allowing the export of a precise but low percentage of logs is beneficial, as it ensures producers of (1) a speedier return of cash flow on investment, necessary for their survival and further investing in advanced wood processing, (2) the valorization of certain species and (3) respect for the economic component of forest harvesting in the management plan. CHALLENGES
Double certification: opportunities in Congo
Intra-African markets are alternatives that represent many possibilities for the development of a sustainable, legal wood value chain, but the constraints to which they have so far been subject restrict these possibilities. The causes of the constraints are in particular the legal, institutional and commercial barriers among countries and regions, combined with a low purchasing power (legal wood products are too expensive) that allows the illegal exploitation of forests to flourish or leads to a negative image of wood as a material.
*Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade that pursues the objective of providing a “guarantee of responsible management” for European markets by combating illegal logging of forest products and the resulting trade
The FLEGT Action Plan affects both the supply and the demand for wood. With regard to supply, the plan offers producing countries the possibility of signing voluntary partnership agreements (VPAs) regarding the wood trade so as to ensure its legality. With regard to demand, the European Union (EU) applies its Timber Regulation (EUTR), which forbids the placing on the market of illegal wood or wood products within the European Union. As will be appreciated, private certification systems and the FLEGT Action Plan are pursuing the same goal of promoting sustainable forest management. Forestry legality certification or sustainable management certification is a market device intended to provide consumers with social and environmental guarantees. It constitutes a private, voluntary initiative on the part of wood harvesting and processing
enterprises in order to meet the requirements of markets now aware of the problems caused by forest degradation. The FLEGT Action Plan has the same objective of providing a “guarantee of responsible management” for European markets by combating the illegal exploitation of forests and the resulting trade. The two approaches are clearly complementary: certification is a private response at the enterprise level, while the FLEGT Action Plan is a public response at the national level. CONSTRAINTS
However, both these initiatives are facing major challenges. Despite the assurance of the benefits and guarantees of forest...
>> MORE INFORMATION ON THE EU-FAO-FLEGT PROGRAMME: www.fao.org/forestry/eu-flegt/
Which signals must be sent to the international markets to reposition certified African wood products on the cutting edge?
What conditions are necessary to bring a fresh market boost to certified African wood products as well as providing an attractive economic option for Africa’s wood industry?
Could the Republic of Congo spearhead the emergence of PAFC certificates at the national level in the field, as well as for promising export markets by turning this label into a new ambassador of "African certified product" quality? See you at this side event!
Brochure-Forum-08-10-EN:Layout 1
08/10/2013
11:41
Page 2
“
www.fb2013.org
VPA and private certifications: Congolese recognition Monday 21 October 2013
ROBERT SIMPSON, EU/FAO/FLEGT PROGRAMME
It’s 10 years since the implementation of the FLEGT Action Plan: VPAs are being developed in many African countries and the EUTR came into force in March 2013.
But... what about the efforts to tackle timber legality and/or sustainable management certification that started two decades ago?
The Congolese VPA enables the recognition of private certification schemes if they are consistent with the VPA. What are the actions to be undertaken by certification bodies? How can the companies whose traceability system is certified contribute to the establishment of a national traceability system? Can private certification schemes accelerate VPA implementation?
Get the answers in this side event!
FAO works with stakeholders to improve governance and compliance with legal frameworks, helping them meet unequivocal market demand for legal timber products
Advanced wood processing
“
The FLEGT* Action Plan & forest certifications
Securing markets for legal and certified wood products has never been more crucial if we want to avoid losing natural tropical forests to agricultural crop plantations
RALPH RIDDER, DIRECTOR GENERAL, ATIBT
Creating wood products is one of the most important activities of countries with forests. However, at present such creation is mainly in the hands of the informal sector. POTENTIALITIES
This activity can develop local economies and guarantee many jobs. It can thus ensure significant socio-economic development.
Markets Outlooks
Tuesday 22 October 2013
It’s 20 years since the creation of the label: FSC wood in the Congo Basin represents less than 1% of tropical timber imports in the world.
Some market shares are lost due to lack of marketing strategy. Yet to date, tropical timber remains an eco-material capable of meeting the technical needs of international markets while certification provides guarantees (of legality on top of sustainability) required by the most demanding markets.
CHALLENGES
A still fairly unenthusiastic political will; a business climate that is unfavourable to investment; a highly competitive informal sector; the lack of adequate infrastructure and services; inappropriate taxation and customs policies; the small number of technical and professional staff who have received local training appropriate for more advanced wood processing.
A key factor enabling the forest wood value chain to contribute to the local economies of Congo Basin countries is the development of an industry supplying markets with competitive products. POTENTIALITIES
This development is necessary not only in order to meet the quality standards required by certain traditional markets, such as those of Europe and North America, which have reduced their demand for tropical wood, but also to demonstrate the sustainability of wood harvesting and processing activities, together with their compliance with the social, environmental and legal requirements of these markets. Allowing the export of a precise but low percentage of logs is beneficial, as it ensures producers of (1) a speedier return of cash flow on investment, necessary for their survival and further investing in advanced wood processing, (2) the valorization of certain species and (3) respect for the economic component of forest harvesting in the management plan. CHALLENGES
Double certification: opportunities in Congo
Intra-African markets are alternatives that represent many possibilities for the development of a sustainable, legal wood value chain, but the constraints to which they have so far been subject restrict these possibilities. The causes of the constraints are in particular the legal, institutional and commercial barriers among countries and regions, combined with a low purchasing power (legal wood products are too expensive) that allows the illegal exploitation of forests to flourish or leads to a negative image of wood as a material.
*Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade that pursues the objective of providing a “guarantee of responsible management” for European markets by combating illegal logging of forest products and the resulting trade
The FLEGT Action Plan affects both the supply and the demand for wood. With regard to supply, the plan offers producing countries the possibility of signing voluntary partnership agreements (VPAs) regarding the wood trade so as to ensure its legality. With regard to demand, the European Union (EU) applies its Timber Regulation (EUTR), which forbids the placing on the market of illegal wood or wood products within the European Union. As will be appreciated, private certification systems and the FLEGT Action Plan are pursuing the same goal of promoting sustainable forest management. Forestry legality certification or sustainable management certification is a market device intended to provide consumers with social and environmental guarantees. It constitutes a private, voluntary initiative on the part of wood harvesting and processing
enterprises in order to meet the requirements of markets now aware of the problems caused by forest degradation. The FLEGT Action Plan has the same objective of providing a “guarantee of responsible management” for European markets by combating the illegal exploitation of forests and the resulting trade. The two approaches are clearly complementary: certification is a private response at the enterprise level, while the FLEGT Action Plan is a public response at the national level. CONSTRAINTS
However, both these initiatives are facing major challenges. Despite the assurance of the benefits and guarantees of forest...
>> MORE INFORMATION ON THE EU-FAO-FLEGT PROGRAMME: www.fao.org/forestry/eu-flegt/
Which signals must be sent to the international markets to reposition certified African wood products on the cutting edge?
What conditions are necessary to bring a fresh market boost to certified African wood products as well as providing an attractive economic option for Africa’s wood industry?
Could the Republic of Congo spearhead the emergence of PAFC certificates at the national level in the field, as well as for promising export markets by turning this label into a new ambassador of "African certified product" quality? See you at this side event!
Brochure-Forum-08-10-EN:Layout 1
08/10/2013
11:41
Page 1
International Forum on the Sustainable Development of the Wood Industry in Congo Basin Countries
4
Over the past ten years, the overall supply
of wood from natural tropical forests
has shrunk because of production costs and pressure from environmental groups
There is a great potential in Central Africa for developing forest plantations to meet the
growing demand for wood, especially fuelwood. POTENTIALITIES
Rehabilitation of degraded and unused land.
...certification and despite a European context that in general seeks to ensure more responsible consumption, such certification at present enjoys only minimal recognition, which prevents the enterprises involved in the initiative from thriving on a sustainable basis and thus ensuring its social and environmental benefits. Forest certification must be based on monitoring systems that take account of the real situation on the ground and develop standards that are recognized within VPAs, so as to facilitate controls and the issuing of FLEGT permits for certified enterprises. Despite the political commitment of Central African countries, there have been delays in implementing VPAs, as a result particularly of (a) the underestimated need to build stakeholders’ capacities, (b) a small and
Moreover, the development of a policy promoting forest plantations in Central Africa would help reduce poverty by encouraging the development of communities that will participate in the establishment and monitoring of such plantations and the utilization of resources coming from them (firewood, charcoal, electricity and heat production).
CHALLENGES
ES EM H YT KE theme 1 /
ADVANCED WOOD PROCESSING
>> >> MORE INFORMATION ON THE EU-FAO-FLEGT PROGRAMME: www.fao.org/forestry/eu-flegt/
theme 2 / MARKETS OUTLOOKS
theme 3 / THE FLEGT ACTION PLAN & FOREST CERTIFICATIONS
theme 4 / FOREST PLANTATIONS
sustainable development
Legal wood products & better livelihoods: welcome!
T
his forum is the catalyst for addressing issues important for the sustainable
under the auspices of the Ministry of Forestry and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Congo
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
Paving the way to
The major constraints are political and land tenure insecurity, problems of governance, insufficient research and development, the lack of effective financing mechanisms and competition from other land uses.
medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector that very seldom has sufficient technical and financial means to meet legality requirements and (c) difficulties in establishing a national traceability system. This delay in issuing FLEGT permits affects the activity of European importers, who are today obliged to apply due diligence, in other words to minimize the risk of having illegal wood enter their supply chain – which requires major but sometimes insufficient efforts to document their purchases of wood and wood products. This thus complicates commercial exchanges, whereas the issuing of credible FLEGT permits would ensure automatic entry into European markets.
21-22 October 2013
development of our value chain. Those who take part in the forum will draw up the first Declaration on tropical wood. Although it
may not be a legally binding agreement, the Brazzaville Declaration will be an innovative document intended to establish a “golden standard” for harvesting and processing
tropical wood. Recommendations from
workshops on wood transformation conducted
since 2010 are gathered in a White Paper
the White Paper aims to act as a reference tool
be taken as a first attempt at an evaluation
the development of a sustainable forest
that will be presented at the Forum and may
“
of the “state of the wood value chain”.
Serving as the working basis for the Forum,
for the involvement of all the stakeholders in industry in Congo Basin countries.
Nowadays we require all players to process wood on site and to create added value on site. This is now an established rule: we want this added value to be available to Congo
Source: Afrik.com, May 2013
Forest plantations
HENRI DJOMBO MINISTER OF FORESTRY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, REPUBLIC OF CONGO